Do you know that adults are the stupidest creatures on earth? “Dear Ex” (2018)

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directed by Mag Hsu & Hsu Chih-yen
© 2018 Netflix. All Rights Reserved.

Friday has arrived, so perhaps you’d like to check out a Taiwanese film tonight? If so, I may have something interesting for you. It may seem a bit dramatic, but in fact it’s an adorable comedy with some food for thought at the end. The story is about a boy, his mother, his father and his father’s lover who’s a man. Fun? Oh well, just wait. So Song Zheng-yuan (Spark Chen) is a loving husband to Liu San-lian (Hsieh Ying-xuan) and a great father to Song Cheng-xi (Joseph Huang). Unfortunately, the man dies leaving his family in a huge mess, because his insurance beneficiary becomes his lover Jay (Roy Chiu). The wife is absolutely furious about this situation, because Jay not only stole her man, but also the money she wanted to spend on her son’s education. On the other hand, Jay is a very easy-going person and he’s not much bothered by this situation, especially not by the screaming Liu. Little Song (I mean, he’s not that little, but his father was also Song, so I prefer to call him this way) makes an interesting decision – he moves in with Jay, his father’s ex lover. Obviously, both adults are totally shocked, but they try to accept this move and go on. In the meantime, we get many flashbacks showing the life of Big Song and how it happened he started seeing Jay. But we can also observe the current state where Little Song is getting to know Jay and trying to understand both him and his mother in this complicated situation. I would say it’s a film about love, but it’s a bit cheesy not to explain it further, so I will try to do it without sharing any spoilers. Some people think that the symbol of infinitive love is marriage. Young couples may agree with me that older relatives keep asking about it. As if being together and sharing each other’s lives wasn’t enough. Or the idea that we must choose one person to be our partner and there’s no way we can separate, because that would be wrong. This film shows how different love can be and that it’s impossible to make any standards about it. We are very curious creatures who want to discover the world. You like women and you end up with one till the rest of your life? That’s fantastic! Good luck guys! But there are people who keep searching and instead of judging, as long as they don’t hurt anyone, we should let them look for their affection. At least that’s what this film is for me. Perhaps the producers didn’t want to make me think about this that intensively, but since it’s inspired me, I think it’s worth recommending.

My rating: 7/10
S.

The greatest party that never happened. “Fyre” (2019)

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directed by Chris Smith
© 2019 Netflix. All Rights Reserved.

Today’s post will be short, because I literally have nothing much to say about this film except the fact it’s worth seeing. I spotted it one day and thought the description was tempting. “The greatest party that never happened” – sounds like a good sci-fi production. Surprisingly, it’s not fictional. “Fyre” is a documentary about Fyre music festival that was supposed to take place and become the most wonderful festival on this planet. However, the people responsible for organising it were not very much bothered by the fact that… well… they can’t really do it. This film shows how ignorant people can be. I know, I know, most of us want to have money to live a better quality life, so obviously we care about how much we earn. And I’m aware that there are plenty of those guys doing fake businesses to steal from others. It’s clear, I wasn’t born yesterday. But what the Fyre people have done is totally impossible for me to get. Basically, they asked people to pay lots of money for a very luxurious and fancy party, and all they got in return was literally nothing. Some of them didn’t even manage to reach the festival place. And, as I said, money rules the world, I get it. But how can you be such an ignorant and (excuse me my honesty) a total asshole? You’re not playing just with money, you’re playing with human beings. I was honestly shocked and this documentary has reminded me that social media is so full of manipulators that sometimes it’s better to scroll faster.

My rating: 7/10
S.

Feet, what do I need you for when I have wings to fly? “Frida” (2002)

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directed by Julie Taymor
© 2002 Miramax Films. All Rights Reserved.

I’m sure that most of you have heard of Frida Kahlo. If not, you have a good homework to do, but if you’re not into googling and reading long articles, I recommend you today’s film. It’s a wonderful picture presenting the life of one of the most popular female painters in the world. And those who know her story, I think you will be pleased to see Salma Hayek as Frida on the screen. The film starts with the accident that Frida survived, but which left her with several injuries. After the accident she couldn’t move much, so her father brought her a canvas and paint to keep her entertained. And that’s how everything started. Perhaps if the accident hadn’t happened, we wouldn’t have all those amazing paintings to admire now. However, the story focuses the most on the relationship between Frida and her husband Diego Rivera (Alfred Molina). Their marriage was a real telenovela with too many additional characters. But if you don’t know Frida’s story, I don’t want to share too much. The film presents it all. On one hand, I felt sorry for her, but on the other, I believe Frida wouldn’t have existed without Diego. Those two had a toxic, but yet very important relationship. However, that’s my opinion, so feel free to watch and make your own. I’m not the biggest fan of Frida’s paintings, I prefer a slightly different style, but it doesn’t mean I don’t feel respect to her, because she’s given us a lot of wonderful pieces. And I feel the same about the film. In my opinion it’s quite average, but since it’s a tribute to Frida, I think it’s worth being recommended. Both Hayek and Molina are fantastic in their roles and generally the film looks pleasant. Oh, I’ve heard that it’s fashionable again to have a unibrow (not sure I remember when was the first time it was fashionable, but that’s what I’ve been told), so perhaps you will find an inspiration watching “Frida.”

My rating: 6/10
S.

It’s not another nerdy romance. “Guns Akimbo” (2019)

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directed by Jason Lei Howden
© 2019 Madman Entertainment. All Rights Reserved.

I’d wanted to see this film since the day I saw its trailer. I normally don’t watch many action films, because they are like copy-paste. But this one seemed different. And surprisingly, as a person who doesn’t enjoy action films, I rated it higher than most people. Perhaps it’s just me, but I think it’s a very fresh production and certain jokes are definitely not for everyone. I mean, they are not laughing at farting or calling someone a “dick”, but for example: how to open a door if both of your hands are… attached to guns. Okay, it’s maybe strange, but I, personally, had a huge laugh at that. Anyway, the film is very much entertaining and Harry Potter is amazing in it. Yeah, I know, Daniel will be Harry forever, it’s settled. However, I have to tell you that I highly respect him for his other roles. I mean, he actually IS a great actor, and I’m not joking right now. Today’s film is a perfect proof for that. And if you’re a fan of “Black Mirror” series, I bet you will enjoy the story as well. Everything is happening in the future where a gang called Skizm has created some kind of a game, which is about live-streaming people killing each other in real life. Sound fun? Oh well, say hello to the probable future. Anyway, there are millions who watch their videos, so the gang is quite popular. However, the main character is Miles Lee Harris (Daniel Radcliffe), who has nothing to do with Skizm. He’s a nerdy computer programmer who loves trolling people on the Internet, especially Skizm, because he doesn’t like the idea of their live-streaming. One day, the gang comes to his place, drugs him and when Miles wakes up, he notices guns bolted to his hands. Soon he finds out that he’s in the game and his task is to kill another player, Nix (Samara Weaving). If he doesn’t do it, he dies. If he runs away from the town, he dies. If he gets killed by Nix, he dies. So basically, there’s a huge possibility that Miles may die. And it’s great he has the two guns, but how can he even try to kill anyone if he struggles to put this pants on? Honestly, the description may sound ridiculous, but the film really is entertaining and not clichéd at all. Considering the ending, I really wish to see next parts.

My rating: 7/10
S.

You must be quite a girl. “Some Like It Hot” (1959)

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directed by Billy Wilder
© 1959 United Artists. All Rights Reserved.

We’re starting this week with an absolute classic that you have to have watched before leaving this world. And surprisingly not because there’s Marilyn Monroe in it. Those who haven’t seen it yet might think the idea for the story is ridiculously boring. Man dressing up as a woman. Oh, so funny! Let me get off of this laughter rollercoaster. And I honestly felt the same way when I heard about this film for the first time. Like they say: don’t judge the book by its cover, I would say: don’t judge the film by its shitty description on the Internet. The main characters that we follow are Joe (Tony Curtis) and Jerry (Jack Lemmon). Both of them are jazz musicians who get in trouble. You will see what kind of trouble, but it’s serious. Serious enough for them to dress up as women and go to Miami with an all-female band. One of the ladies they meet is Sugar Kane (Marilyn Monroe), a talented and incredibly attractive vocalist. Despite wearing cute wigs and sexy dresses, Joe and Jerry, or I should rather say Josephine and Daphne, are still men who are obsessed with beautiful women. That is why they start competing with each other for Sugar, even though she has no idea they are of the opposite sex. It gets more and more complicated, because Joe, in order to flirt with Sugar, starts playing another role – he pretends to be a millionaire, the heir of Shell Oil. So he has to keep changing his costume and remember not to forget which personality he’s currently playing. And then Jerry, or rather Daphne, gets spotted by a real millionaire who finds her a wonderful partner for him. I mean… finds him… I mean HIM as HER… Mamma mia, I can’t. But you know what I mean. Basically, the film is a bit weird, but it’s not complicated or difficult at all. It’s actually easy to follow all the characters, no matter what costume they’re wearing. Personally, I think this is one of the best comedies of all times. I absolutely love every single thing about it and despite the fact that it’s a bit old, I still laugh at loud watching it in the 21st century. A lot of people appreciated Monroe and Lemmon, but I’m a huge fan of Curtis in this film. For me he was the diamond of this production. Obviously, everyone did a great job, but he’s outstanding, in my opinion. There’s not much I can say more, because I think it’s a masterpiece, so just search for it and enjoy the game.

My rating: 9/10
S.

Your turn. “All the Bright Places” (2020)

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directed by Jennifer Niven
© 2020 Netflix. All Rights Reserved.

We’re starting March with a new production that has recently appeared on Netflix. No, Netflix doesn’t pay me for recommending its films, but what can I do if they do have interesting things on their platform? Today I have a romantic drama for you. The main characters are two teenagers, but don’t think it’s a production strictly for the young. I think this film can be impactful for everyone, perhaps even more for adults who have children. You will understand why reading my post. The two main characters are Violet Markey (Elle Fanning) and Theodore Finch (Justice Smith). Violet has lost her sister in a car accident and still cannot accept it, because she was the one who survived, even though they were both in the same vehicle. She struggles with the pain and she’s having suicidal thoughts. Then Finch is a guy who’s considered a freak. The thing is that he suffers from bipolar disorder, so there are days when he feels incredibly happy and energetic, but on some others he cannot even leave his bed. Those two meet in a very strange circumstances, because Finch spots Violet willing to jump off a bridge. He manages to save her and those two get to know each other. At first, Violet is rather reserved, but Finch tries hard to make her trust him and open up. The guy is very creative, so his methods to support Violet are quite extravagant. When the girl starts feeling better, Finch starts having more and more of those dark days of his. I really don’t want to share too much, because the second half of the film is quite significant and there’s no way I’m spoiling it. One thing I can tell you is that I’m glad such production has been created, because nowadays more and more young people struggle with problems that cannot be easily seen. They often say they are “fine” and then end up hurting themselves or committing suicides and the whole world gets surprised. “How come such a good student cut herself? He had so many friends, how come he felt lonely? She was the most cheerful person I knew, I can’t believe she killed herself!” It’s 21st century and we still tend to ignore people who struggle inside, not outside. That’s why I liked this story, because it shows the problem quite realistically. Of course they needed to add some teenage-romance-drama elements, but generally, it’s a good reminder to take care of ourselves and stay supportive for others, especially those happiest and most cheerful.

My rating: 6/10
S.

I’m a hooker. “Monster” (2003)

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directed by Patty Jenkins
© 2003 Newmarket Films. All Rights Reserved.

We know that Charlize Theron is a great actress. And if you didn’t know, now you know. However, this role is out of this universe. I mean, I was watching today’s film with my mouth wide open and I couldn’t believe that one can transform so much on the screen. But her performance isn’t the only reason why you should watch “Monster.” It shows how horrible our society can be to people who aren’t doing that well. But you will get the idea in a second. First, let me tell you what’s going on here. Aileen (Charlize Theron), known as Lee, is a street prostitute who’s having suicidal thoughts. One day she meets Selby (Christina Ricci) in a gay bar. Lee doesn’t consider herself gay, but those two spend a very nice time, drinking and talking. They fall in love with each other and start dating, but Lee is still working as a prostitute. Once she gets attacked by one of her clients and, in order to protect herself, she kills the man. When she shares the story with Selby, her partner gets angry that Lee cannot provide for them both. Selby expects Lee to be her protector who will take care of her. Lee really wants to have a healthy relationship and stop working on the street, so she starts looking for a decent job. Unfortunately, she has no experience or good education, so everybody rejects her. In order to get money, she needs to keep working as a prostitute. However, from now on, she doesn’t only have sex with men, but also kills them and steals their belongings. I think this story is a great piece to show to people and have discussions about. I mean, I can think of so many educational activities based on this production. On one hand Lee is a prostitute and have killed people, but on the other hand, she’s a woman that has been raped, attacked and used so many times and there’s no way to get away from the life she’s living. It’s so easy to judge such women. “Oh, she’s a hooker, she’s probably a junkie who didn’t want to go to school and was too lazy to get a decent job.” The story of Lee is horrible, not because of what she’s doing, but how the society totally ignores such people like her. I’m not saying she’s a saint and definitely murdering people is a crime that she should be punished for. But this story proves that such Lees aren’t born – it’s us that make them become who they are. A wonderful performance by Charlize, a very disturbing story and a lot of food for thought. And let me just tell you it’s based on a real story. I think we’re failing as humans…

My rating: 8/10
S.

I am the smartest man alive! “Billy Madison” (1995)

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directed by Tamra Davis
© 1995 Universal Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

I know, I know, those of you who have seen today’s film may think “Is this a joke?” Why is S recommending a lame comedy from the 90s? And those who haven’t seen the film may spot Adam Sandler in the picture and think “A film with Sandler? Recommended? Ha! Good one.” But, calm down, hold your horses, I’m still recommending it. I believe that the main thing that cinema should be giving us is entertainment. Obviously, I adore difficult productions or documentaries, but watching them everyday would be incredibly tiring. We need a small break and something that isn’t there to educate us, but to… kind of… brainwash us? So for all those who say “I don’t watch comedies because they are primitive” – great, good for you, but mind the fact that some people need a silly film to relax after a long day. That is why today I want to recommend you a goofy, ridiculous and super weird comedy about Billy. Billy (Adam Sandler) is a grown-up guy living a dream. His family are the owners of Madison Hotels, so they are incredibly rich. Billy profits from the fortune very much. His life is like the constant holidays you will probably never afford. One day his father says that he wants Eric Gordon (Bradley Whitford), his vice president, to take over the company. Billy feels offended and decides to fight with Eric, whom he hates very much, and prove he’s responsible enough to own the company. The thing is that Eric is a well-educated specialist and Billy… well, that’s Billy. Therefore he agrees with his father that he will complete all 12 grades of school, each in two weeks. If he does, the company is his. If he fails, Eric gets the hotels. So basically we’re watching Adam Sandler attending 12 grades of school and acting like a child. Don’t we need that from time to time? Enjoy not exercising your brain for 1,5h.

My rating: 6/10
S.

Almost not existing. “Sunday’s Illness” (“La enfermedad del domingo”, 2018)

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directed by Ramón Salazar
© 2018 Zeta Cinema. All Rights Reserved.

I love such productions so much! I mean, once in a while I manage to find a film that’s not very common (at least in my area) and then it impacts me so much I can’t stop thinking of it. I’m so happy I’d found it and watched it this year. It seemed to be a simple drama about a difficult relationship between the mother and the daughter, but it’s actually incredibly emotional and slightly disturbing I would say. So as you already know, this is a story about two women. Anabel (Susi Sánchez) is a wealthy woman who organises a dinner party. One of the staff working that evening is Chiara (Bárbara Lennie), Anabel’s daughter whom she hasn’t seen for over 30 years. The woman abandoned the girl, got married and had another daughter. Now Chiara is an adult and she wants to meet with her mother. During the meeting she asks Anabel to spend 10 days with her. She doesn’t want money, she doesn’t want any things, she just wants 10 days of her mother’s time. Anabel agrees and they both go to the countryside where Chiara lives in her childhood home. What’s interesting is that Chiara doesn’t want to reconnect with her mother. She makes it obvious that Anabel will never be forgiven for what she’s done. There’s this very intensive tension between them two that can really disturb you as a viewer. Personally, I felt uncomfortable watching it, because I felt torn apart. On one hand, Anabel had abandoned her own child and Chiara was raised without a mother, but on the other hand, they can’t turn back time, so no matter what Anabel does, they both need to accept the situation. I honestly didn’t expect this to be that intensive and strange. But it’s a wonderful production, especially for women. I was watching this film in the evening and thought it would make me sleepy. You know, slow drama from Spain – perfect lullaby. And I ended up having problems falling asleep because I was analysing the whole story. Especially the ending is very strong and hits you hard. Crying can occur, especially if you’re sensitive. I believe this film is definitely underrated, so please, go watch it and let’s boost the number!

My rating: 8/10
S.

Just take your pills. “Warning: This Drug May Kill You” (2017)

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directed by Perri Peltz
© 2017 HBO Archives. All Rights Reserved.

Today I have a terrifying documentary for you, but the issue is so universal that I hope to reach as many people as it’s possible. Very often we hear about people overusing drugs and when I say “drugs” I mean the substances that you buy illegally from someone that knows someone that knows someone and later take those substances to “brighten your day.” Whether taking drugs is okay or not – that’s for you to judge. I want to stay as objective as I can, even though I’ve never been such a person who’s using or overusing. Perhaps there are some reasons behind it, like easing one’s pain. Still, one thing we can definitely agree on is that it has become popular and I bet each one of us may call at least one person who’s on them. However, this documentary presents that there are way more people overusing drugs, very often without even knowing about it. In this film you will see the stories of four families who have been affected by a slightly different kind of drug that we’re all used to see in the media. Do you ever think of the medicine that your doctors prescribe you? I mean, personally, I rarely thought of checking that, because I trusted my doctors and I knew they wanted to help me. So I was buying and taking everything they wanted me to take, no matter if I had a cold or something more serious. In today’s film you will see several people who have got addicted to very strong painkillers. And it wasn’t their fault, because they didn’t know how dangerous those pills can be. They were just following the prescription and taking whatever they needed to. At some point the amount of the drug wasn’t enough, so they were searching for more ways to ease their pain. When I was watching this documentary, I got scared. I mean, you may be absolutely clean and then you have a surgery, get a list of pills and in few months you become an addict who cannot take control over their own life. Horrifying. Mind the fact that children also get strong medicine sometimes, which terrifies me even more. One thing I will keep in mind after watching this: always check what’s on your prescription and feel free to consult it with other doctors. Just, take care of yourselves, because apparently, those who are responsible for that aren’t always trustworthy.

My rating: 7/10
S.