You’re making it very difficult for me to like you. “Buddy Buddy” (1981)

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directed by Billy Wilder
© 1981 United Artists. All Rights Reserved.

I think we all need a good comedy on this wonderful… Thursday. Because why not? Today’s film is a bit old (about 40 years), but it still makes me laugh when I think of some dialogues and scenes from it. Perhaps it’s a bit goofy, but even now, in 2020, I feel like that’s a decent comedy. Well-written, with fantastic actors, hilarious jokes (silly ones, but still) and generally this cheerful atmosphere. So now you know that no matter what you’ll read in a second, this is a film worth your time. And the story goes like this: we follow two men – Trabucco (Walter Matthau) and Victor (Jack Lemmon). Trabucco is a very grumpy hitman, who needs to get rid of one important man. Unfortunately, he might have some difficulties doing it, because he meets Victor. And Victor is an incredibly depressed guy, who’s just broken up with his girlfriend. I mean, she’s broken up with him, so the man cannot handle it and wants to commit suicide. Both men are staying at one hotel, so when Victor is trying to kill himself, Trabucco notices that. Obviously, for a hitman like him, it doesn’t matter if some random guy dies. The problem is that he would make a huge scene out of it and the criminal wouldn’t be able to attack his target. Therefore, Trabucco decides to help him and Victor starts seeing a real friend in his saviour. Obviously, the hitman doesn’t say anything about his profession and those two become some kind of “partners in crime.” Anyway, this film wasn’t much appreciated back then. Klaus Kinski (one of the actors) even said: “the best thing for me about “Buddy Buddy” was that not very many people saw it.” That’s a bit harsh, I would say. I guess it’s because Billy Wilder, the director, was known for his fantastic productions and people expected him to create something even better. But all artists need a little break, a slightly worse piece. This film isn’t a masterpiece and I agree it can be hard to say it’s Wilder’s best production. Still, I wanted a relaxing comedy with this typical Wilder’s sense of humour and that’s what I got. Give it a try yourselves.

My rating: 6.5/10
S.

Where you see risk, I see opportunity. “Something the Lord Made” (2004)

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directed by Joseph Sargent
© 2004 HBO Films. All Rights Reserved.

I’d like to show my huge respect to all the people working in healthcare, especially now. You are real heroes we don’t appreciate enough and lots of people owe you their lives. Thank you very much. And in order to show my respect in my way, I’d like to recommend “Something the Lord Made,” which is about doctors who didn’t give up, just like those who are fighting for lives of people in hospitals now. And this isn’t a made-up story, so I hope you will feel the same chills I felt watching it. The main characters are Alfred Blalock (Alan Rickman) and Vivien Thomas (Mos Def). Blalock is a very talented and hard-working white surgeon and Thomas is his black assistant, who has amazing skills and great ideas. Perhaps it surprises you that I mentioned the colour of their skin in the previous sentence, but that’s actually very important. The film is set in the 30s, when the colour of your skin was like your passport. White? Welcome. Black? Well… may I ask you to follow me? Back then, black people weren’t allowed to share the working space with the white. However, those two gentlemen were meant to work together, so they were doing it against all the possible social rules. And they made the impossible happen. This film isn’t just an important story that teaches us about the race inequality that used to be a huge issue (and it still is in certain places). It’s also a production that shows what an incredible power doctors may have and, no matter if you’re religious or not, how much we should cherish them for their knowledge and skills. We humans can be very powerful, but sometimes, we may not feel appreciated enough for the things we do. Watch this film to learn about two men thanks to whom we’ve saved many lives and remember to say “thank you” to people who are doing it now. And stay home. For yourself and for them.

My rating: 7/10
S.

We’re all looking for Permit A 38. “The Twelve Tasks of Asterix” (“Les Douze travaux d’Astérix”, 1976)

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directed by René Goscinny, Albert Uderzo, Pierre Watrin & Henri Gruel
© 1976 Cinema International Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

If you’re one of those people who have no idea who Asterix and Obelix are, this post should definitely be an inspiration for you. But I guess most of us know very well, because we were raised with those guys. Personally, I didn’t have a chance to read comics that often, because in my country it was quite hard to get quality comics. However, when I was little, I had several cassettes with films about Asterix and Obelix, so I knew them from the screen. And I was a huge fan, especially of Obelix, because he was a foodie, had cool braids and a cute dog – my spirit animal. Anyway, the reason why I’m recommending today’s film is because one of the “Fathers” of A&O has passed away. We lost the first “Father”, René Goscinny, many years ago – in 1977. However, the second one, Albert Uderzo has left us today. Two wonderful men, who made our childhood much brighter and funnier. I hope that, wherever they are now, they’re together, drawing and writing next comics. Thank you Mr. Uderzo. You’re the one who drew Obelix’s braids I loved so much! So… back to business! Today’s film is just one of many, but I’ve chosen it because it’s been my favourite for sure. As you can tell from the title, it’s about twelve tasks that Asterix has to do. It’s all because of Julius Caesar, who’s been fighting with the village of Gaul, and since he always loses, he’s sure the Gauls are some kinds of gods. To test them, he proposes a competition. His best warriors and the bravest Gauls have to complete Twelve Labours of Hercules. If his warriors manage to do everything, he becomes the owner of the village. If the Gauls win, the Roman Empire is theirs. So the Gauls send Asterix and Obelix, the best Gauls in the world! Can’t really explain why I enjoy this part of their adventures the most. Perhaps I liked the tasks they needed to complete. It’s been some time since I saw it for the last time, but I still remember one of the tasks – they needed to get some permit in a bureaucratic building. And they were going from a person to person, because each one was sending them to someone else in the building. It’s even funnier now, because this isn’t just a Hercules’ task – it’s our adult reality. Anyway, let yourselves feel a bit of nostalgia and watch Asterix and Obelix fooling around once again. No matter how old you are. And let’s send a big “merci” to the Fathers!

My rating: 8/10
S.

There are three types of people. Those at the top, those at the bottom and those who fall. “The Platform” (“El Hoyo”, 2019)

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directed by Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia
© 2019 Netflix. All Rights Reserved.

I loved this film. And seriously, it’s another production that proves how much some people can be wrong about films. Obviously, we all have our preferences, but this film is rather underrated, in my opinion. I mean, it’s not a typical sci-fi thriller with aliens and strange creatures from other planets. This one is way more psychological and you should focus on the conversations, instead of what’s happening on the screen. But perhaps you’d like to know what it’s all about, so let me share a few words. Everything starts with our main character Goreng (Iván Massagué) waking up in a concrete cell. He spots that he’s not the only one there. Next to him there’s another man called Trimagasi (Zorion Eguileor), who’s much older and much more experienced in what’s happening in this place. Goreng notices that there are cells above and below their own and there’s a huge rectangle-shaped hole in the middle of each cell’s floor. Trimagasi explains that it’s a hole for the food platform. It goes from the top to the bottom, filled with food, and the prisoners get to eat what’s left. Goreng and his cellmate are in cell 48, which means they will eat after 94 people. At first, the main character finds it disgusting, but he realises that there’s no other option. The men are lucky, because some leftovers can still be found on the platform when it reaches their cell. However, there are many cells below them. Every month, all the prisoners are moved to a different floor. After such switch, the cellmates wake up sharing the cell with each other once again, but this time Goreng is tied to his bed and the number on the wall says “171”… Doom doom doom. Honestly, this film gives you so much food for thought (ha, the word “food” can be a bit wrong here) that when I finished watching it, I needed a break to reflect on everything. If I have a chance, I’d love to organise a discussion about it, because I feel like there’s so much we could learn from this story. I think the idea for the film is fantastic, it’s well played, you may have a good laugh and also feel horribly disgusted, but I’m afraid the ending didn’t satisfy me that much. I mean, it was slightly illogical and kind of disappointing. But on the other hand, it isn’t that predictable, so perhaps some of you will fancy it more. Still, I’m a big fan of this production and it will stay with me for a long time.

My rating: 7.5/10
S.

Reading good books ruins you for enjoying bad books. “The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society” (2018)

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directed by Mike Newell
© 2018 StudioCanal. All Rights Reserved.

Two reasons pushed me to watching today’s film. Number one is the title. I mean, it’s wonderful, isn’t it? I have to admit that I haven’t read the book, so I’m afraid I won’t be able to tell you how different it is from the film. What I know about the book is that the story is described in letters that the characters send to each other. The adaptation is slightly different, but it’s still enjoyable, so I hope the fans of the book haven’t felt unsatisfied. The story is set in the 40s, where a young writer named Juliet Ashton (Lily James) is travelling across England promoting her new book. It’s full of funny texts written by her during World War II. One day she meets a gentleman, Markham V. Reynolds, Jr. (Glen Powell), who’s a huge fan of Juliet and those two start seeing each other. And obviously, they don’t talk only about books anymore, if you know what I mean. Anyway, then the woman gets in touch with an unknown man from Guernsey, who happens to be a member of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. Intrigued by the name, she feels the need to learn about the group and all its members. She decides to go to Guernsey in person and meet the people who have been exchanging letters with her and who may have even more interesting stories to share. However, those you will have to learn yourselves. By the way, do you know what Mary Ann Shaffer, the author of the book this film was based on, said? “All I wanted was to write a book that someone would like enough to publish.” Well, I guess it’s done. And it’s done well, because both the book and the film have received promising rating. And I’m not sure if you’ve noticed, but I didn’t mention the second reason why I’d decided to see this film. My second reason was… the costumes and general production design. I love films based in the 20th century and I like checking out the films set in those times to see how well the producers were prepared. In my opinion, it was a B+. And I think I will read the book one day, just to experience the story in a different way. But the film is still very pleasant, so enjoy this disgusting pie and a quite emotional plot.

My rating: 6/10
S.

You have my respect. “The Salvation” (2014)

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directed by Kristian Levring
© 2014 Nordisk Film. All Rights Reserved.

I’m so surprised I’m recommending this film to you. It’s because I’m totally not a fan of westerns. If you ask me which kind of films I don’t like watching, I’ll say “westerns” before you even finish asking the question. I know there are many fans who are crazy about them and I’m fine with that. Still, for me they seem like copy-paste and it’s hard to remember their titles, because the only thing that changes are the names of the characters and the colours of horses. Anyway, surprisingly, this one I accepted and if you’re also not into westerns like me, perhaps you will enjoy “The Salvation.” It’s about two Dannish brothers, Jon (Mads Mikkelsen) and Peter (Mikael Persbrandt) who, due to the Second Schleswig War in 1864, emigrate to the USA. After seven years, Jon’s wife (Nanna Øland Fabricius) comes to the States with their 10-year-old son Kresten (Toke Lars Bjarke). They decide to take a stagecoach to reach their residence, but things get complicated on the way. They’re travelling together with two criminals, who decide to rape Jon’s wife. The man tries to fight them, but the villains manage to kick him out of the couch. When he finally gets back there, he notices his family dead. From now on, the only thing that Jon wishes for is a decent revenge. Unfortunately, most people will betray him, so the man can count only on himself. I wouldn’t say that this film is extremely entertaining, because I was yawning from time to time. Still, I do take into consideration the fact that I’m not a fan of westerns and maybe you’ll like it more. However, I’m a huge fan of Mads Mikkelsen, so for me he totally steals the show. I can’t remember other actors, to be honest. This man has something spectacular in his way of acting, you can’t deny. By the way, this isn’t an American production, but a Danish one. Yes, a Danish western. I bet you haven’t seen anything like this, so you’re welcome.

My rating: 6/10
S.

Six buck and my right nut says we’re not landing in Chicago. “Planes, Trains and Automobiles” (1987)

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directed by John Hughes
© 1987 Paramount Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

Today’s film is about a guy trying to reach home for Thanksgiving and I know that it’s March, but the beauty of films is that you can watch them whenever you want, so let’s get crazy and watch it in March. Who will judge us? Nobody! Besides, it’s a cheesy comedy, which some of you may need after the whole week of home office and pretending you really like video conferences. So, let me recommend you a cute production titled “Planes, Trains and Automobiles” and, surprisingly, the main character isn’t a vehicle. He’s a human being named Neal Page (Steve Martin) who’s a guy in a suit and doing some boring stuff at the desk. He’s currently in New York because of a business meeting and he wishes to get back home to Chicago for the upcoming Thanksgiving. The holiday starts in two days and all he needs to do is to take a plane. Easy-peasy. Unfortunately, Neal is a very unlucky guy, because he can’t even catch a cab to the airport and it’s just the beginning of his adventures. As you might be guessing from the title, he will not fly to Chicago that day. Instead, he will meet a quite annoying salesman Del Griffith (John Candy) and those two won’t separate for a long time. It’s one of those classic old comedies that you watch with your family at the weekend. Children love clumsy Del, adults feel for Neal and everybody’s somehow satisfied. Besides, I think duo Martin and Candy are doing a great job together. I adore those guys and their films always warm my heart. So if you’ve missed watching this production, just chill on the sofa and have a good (or sometimes awkward) laugh.

My rating: 6/10
S.

My name is Stefano Cucchi. “On My Skin” (“Sulla mia pelle”, 2018)

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directed by Alessio Cremonini
© 2018 Netflix. All Rights Reserved.

Yesterday I gave you a film to melt your heart, today I’m giving you a film to break, destroy and burn your heart. You’re welcome. Still, even though this production is horribly depressive, I think more people should see it. “On My Skin” is a fictional drama, but still based on a real story. It presents the case of Stefano Cucchi (played by Alessandro Borghi). You probably haven’t heard of him, unless you’re from Italy. And even if you are from there, I bet you might have missed the news. He’s just an ordinary man around 30 and working as a building surveyor. One day he gets caught by police and they find quite a lot of interesting things in his possession, such as hashish and cocaine. The officers immediately judge him and from the very beginning treat him like the worst kind of human. They insult, scream or even attack the young man. He’s not allowed to leave the custody and has to stay there for much longer than a night. The problem isn’t the fact that he got arrested, but Stefano starts having medical problems. First of all, his body hurts horribly due to the aggressive beating done by the officers before. Second of all, he suffers from epilepsy and doesn’t have his medicine, which obviously nobody wants to give him. Stefano keeps saying that nothing has happened and he continues to suffer in the cell. His family cannot visit him and the man is left alone. If you’ve heard of real Stefano, you know how the story goes. If you don’t, don’t google it, because it’s worth to see the film and find out on your own. I hadn’t known and I got emotionally hit by this production. I think it hit me even harder when I found out it actually happened. And it really bothers me when I see how people can treat each other. How one human being can be aggressive towards another. How some people play gods and make others their personal puppets. Horrible story, but a very good film. Watch, learn, share and reflect on your trust.

My rating: 7/10
S.

You don’t have to leave this planet to tell a good story. “The Magic of Belle Isle” (2012)

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directed by Rob Reiner
© 2012 Magnolia Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

How are you doing guys? Bored at home? Can’t stand watching boring TV or scrolling on social media? I have an adorable film for you today, which will hopefully cheer you up and perhaps give you an inspirational kick in your incredibly relaxed butt. And Morgan Freeman plays the main role, so you cannot say “no.” It’s about Monte Wildhorn (Morgan Freeman) who is a very famous writer, especially because of his Western novels. Unfortunately, he’s having troubles finding the will to keep writing because of his wife’s death. Even though it’s been 6 years since that, Monte still cannot accept his loss and it’s hard for him to open up for new opportunities. He even starts drinking heavily, which makes everything worse. However, he decides to rent a cabin for summer in Belle Isle. Just to give himself some space, time and perhaps hope for the future. Soon he meets his neighbours and makes friends with them, even though they come from two different worlds. Charlotte (Virginia Madsen) is a single mom of three daughters, Finnegan (Emma Fuhrmann), Willow (Madeline Carroll) and Flora (Nicolette Pierini). The family have their own life problems, obviously, but meeting Monte might change the way they look at everything. The man also has a chance to learn something new and get inspired by the little women and their mother. I must say I found this story heartwarming and adorable. I felt as if I was at my grandmother’s house, having Sunday lunch and watching such production on TV. Freeman is fantastic as always and the message you get from the film stays with you for quite long. You may say I’m emotional, but it moved me and I thought it’s a good time to recommend it to you. Stay warm!

My rating: 7/10
S.

If Cinderella had lost a bra… “The Bra” (“Vom Lokführer, der die Liebe suchte”, 2018)

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directed by Veit Helmer
© 2018 Neue Visionen Filmverleih GmbH. All Rights Reserved.

I need to start with a funny story connected to this film. I mean, don’t expect it to be hilarious, but rather a good reason to facepalm. I found today’s film, read its description and thought it could be interesting. So I played it and wanted to change the subtitles into English. And then dear HBO GO informed me that there’s no other option than German language and no subtitles. Well, I was a bit surprised, because I’m not a German speaker, I don’t live in Germany, so why did HBO recommend me this film? Besides, I guess most films on such platforms have at least basic English subtitles. So I checked if perhaps it’s not just another bug in the app (sorry HBO, but I struggle with you a lot, work on that, please!) by watching short parts of the film. I was searching for some scenes where the characters are talking. After 10 minutes of searching for such scene, I decided to read about this production more. And here’s my apology (only partial, because I still can’t use this app on my phone properly) to HBO – it wasn’t another bug. “The Bra” is a film without a single word spoken. Imagine my face when I read that. Yes, now you can laugh. Enough of making a fool of myself, time to share a bit about the story. It’s sort of like “Cinderella”, but an adult version. Here, Cinderella loses her bra. And then, not a prince, but a train driver Nurlan (Miki Manojlović) finds it and wishes to give it back to the owner. He’s supposed to retire anyway, so instead of that, the man decides to search for the bra-less woman. It sounds strange, perhaps, especially since there are no dialogues at all in this film. At first I was slightly confused how the story was going and I felt insecure about the form of the production. In the end, however, I liked it very much and it was a pleasant alternation to what we normally watch. It’s a very quaint film that makes you laugh, but also reflect a bit. Go for it and find out if the bra got back to its owner.

My rating: 7/10
S.