Tag: fantasy

I’m an angel. See the wings? “Good Fortune” (2025)

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directed by Aziz Ansari
© 2025 Lionsgate. All Rights Reserved.

Aziz Ansari has just shared his debut feature film with us and it’s actually quite decent. I mean, I can tell who made this comedy because its humour is so much in Ansari’s style. We get to know Gabriel (Keanu Reeves), who’s a guardian angel responsible for saving people who are texting and driving (very important job, don’t laugh). One day, he saves Arj (Aziz Ansari), a poor guy whose life is a mess and he struggles with literally everything, from work to love life. Even though Gabriel shouldn’t interfere, he obviously does and that leads to Arj changing places with a rich guy and Arj’s ex employer named Jeff (Seth Rogen). It seemed like a great idea, but the consequences are rather complicated. When Gabriel’s supervisor finds out about his actions, the angel loses his wings and powers. Things might get back to normal only if Arj changes places with Jeff again. But to do that, Arj has to want to change, and as you might be guessing, he is loving his new wealthy life. So now, powerless Gabriel and broke Jeff are trying to survive and come up with an idea to fix everything. I definitely loved the idea and all the small details that make the story really funny. Perhaps I got a bit bored in the middle because of the screenplay, which could have been slightly polished, but other than that I think it’s a perfect film for a movie night with friends. I could tell you that this story teaches us a lesson that money can’t buy happiness, but in fact… it’s not true. I guess we all know what world we’re living in and Ansari uses this sad reality to entertain us. The three main actors were chosen wonderfully and I hope they will get a chance to meet in this team again. Also, I praise his debut and I hope that Ansari will keep on exploring his path as a film director. Because this path is quite promising.

My rating: 6/10
S.

The colour, the luster, the luminescence. “The Girl Who Cried Pearls” (2025)

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directed by Chris Lavis & Maciek Szczerbowski
© 2025 National Film Board of Canada. All Rights Reserved.

If you’ve been following me for some time, you may probably know that I’m a huge fan of stop-motion animation. And no matter what, I will always support such films. Luckily, this short is not only technically beautiful, but also moving when it comes to the story. A grandfather is telling his granddaughter a story about an unusual girl. She was very miserable and, instead of tears, she was crying pearls. One day, her neighbour noticed that and wanted to see whether those pearls are real. When he found out that they are indeed of a significant value, at first he wanted to sell them and improve his life situation. However, seeing the girl suffering so much was heart-breaking and the boy decided to do everything to make her happy, even though it means no more pearls to sell. It’s an adorable story about, well, being a decent person. Maybe it’s not that complex and surprising, but it’s simply pleasant. I’m sure that both children and adults might find something interesting for themselves in this film. As I said, I love every stop-motion animation, so maybe I’m not objective, but in the end – my blog, my rules. Jokes aside, making such short film takes so much effort and creativity that I’d award all filmmakers who choose this method. Besides, the production in this case might be quite unpredictable. I’ve read that the crew of today’s film left a part of the set outside and the unexpected rain changed the shape of it, which actually made it look unique and suitable for the story. That wouldn’t have happened if they were animating purely on the screen, right? If you’re still not a fan of this method, I hope “The Girl Who Cried Pearls” will change your mind. Enjoy!

My rating: 7/10
S.

It was time to change it all. “Two People Exchanging Saliva” (“Deux personnes échangeant de la salive”, 2024)

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directed by Natalie Musteata & Alexandre Singh
© 2024 The New Yorker. All Rights Reserved.

Probably the best short film I’ve seen in years! Period. Now go and watch… You’re still here? Ugh, fine. So let me tell you shortly why you must see this one. It’s a dystopian story about a world where intimacy is a crime. Kissing another person is forbidden, so nobody brushes their teeth in order to discourage potential physical contact. In the same world, people don’t use money – instead, they are being slapped in the face. The more expensive the service, the bigger number of slaps. In case you’re confused, I’m a huge fan of dystopian productions, so to me it’s incredibly interesting! Anyway, we need a protagonist – and that’s Malaise (Luàna Bajrami), a young woman who’s just got a job at a fancy departement store. One day, she meets an important client, Angine (Zahra Amir Ebrahimi), a wealthy housewife that spends a lot of money on shopping there. Malaise approaches her quite directly, which surprises the cutomer, but at the same time catches her attention. From now on, Angine requests Malaise to be her personal assistant during shopping at the store. The connection they’re bulding doesn’t look that professional anymore and the chemistry is quite visible. But how to get intimate in the world deprived of it? Even though the idea for this story might seem ridiculous, I absolutely loved it. First, the value of money is presented as physical violence that people accept. To me, it’s a visualisation of how much we sacrifice to get the things we want. Perhaps we’re not being slapped in real life, but just think how much energy and effort you put into earning money that you later spend. Isn’t it some kind of self-violence as well? Second, we get a strange picture of forbidden attraction, which reminds us how ridiculous it is to restrict people from loving who they want. In this case, the two ladies cannot deepen their relation because of the silly kissing rule. It is aburd, isn’t it? So now, let’s return to our reality – isn’t it absurd to stop two people of the same sex to love each other? Do people of different sexual orientation than hetero must put on masks and pretend to be someone else? Do they need to “eat garlic” and “avoid toothpaste”? Can’t even describe how much food for thought this short film has given me and I really hope you will find a moment to see it. My absolute winner this year!

My rating: 9/10
S.

Everyone deserves the chance to fly. “Wicked: For Good” (2025)

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directed by Jon M. Chu
© 2025 Universal Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

I think we can all agree that the world of musical has had one very strong leader in the last two years. Well, no surprise if you take a legendary play, brilliant singing actors and put so much money into marketing that an ordinary human being cannot even imagine. Am I a hater? Absolutely not. Unfortunately, without promotion, lots of marvellous films aren’t known to a wide audience. So I’m glad everyone is talking about “Wicked”, because both parts are worth seeing. I guess it’s obvious you should see the first part before watching this one – because it’s actually one very long film divided into two (thank you for not making us spend 5 hours in front of the screen!). And when it comes to rating – it’s also difficult for me to rate this part differently. I look at the general story and, in my opinion, both films are equally good. The second one is way more serious and mature, I’d say, which is understandable considering the fact that the characters have also changed. Now, despite their strong friendship, Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) and Glinda (Ariana Grande) stand on opposite sides. One is considered a wicked witch that wants to destroy the Land of Oz, the other one is taken for a saviour. Elphaba wishes to protect everyone from the Wizard, but almost nobody believes her. In every story there must be the good and the bad one, and sometimes we have to accept it. The film looks beautiful, it’s full of colours, stunning set design and costumes, lovely songs – so everyone, despite their age, may find something entertaining for themselves here. Not to mention Cynthia and Ariana’s singing… I melt. And I actually wish I could listen to them singing live, because they are magnificent. So if someone with lots of money is reading this – if you want to do some charity, here’s a very dedicated cinephile wishing to go abroad and enjoy angels’ voices. I promise to send you a postcard! Anyway, back to the film – another reason why I like it is because thanks to such adaptations, people get interested in the theatre. I bet a lot of you want to see “Wicked” on stage. I do and I’m planning to do it in my country this year. As much as I love cinema, my first passion was the theatre and I’m glad I can be a part of both worlds. And remember – everyone deserves a chance to fly!

My rating: 7/10
S.

Do you usually write letters to people who don’t exist? “Dear Santa” (2024)

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directed by Bobby Farrelly
© 2024 Paramount Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

Ho, ho, ho! Is this the time we can finally meet to argue and eat so much we can’t move anymore? Indeed! Of course, some of you celebrate Christmas in peace and joy, like in those cute songs, and some others don’t do anything specific that day and just try to survive till the end of the year, which is also fair. Personally, I don’t celebrate Christmas, but I love winter and this December mood, so I have to recommend you something Xmassy to watch. And since I’m also quite sarcastic, this year I’m writing about “Dear Santa” – a comedy like no other. We get to know little Liam (Robert Timothy Smith), who’s a lovely primary school student. The family has lost Liam’s brother, which also led to tensions between the parents, who seem not to notice how that influences Liam. Anyway, the boy has one more issue to deal with, which is dyslexia. He keeps making mistakes and his classmates make fun of him for that, except Emma (Kai Cech), Liam’s crush. His disorder is actually very important in this story because when he writes a letter to Santa, he accidentally addresses it to Satan (Jack Black). And since the global post works incredibly well, the letter indeed reaches Satan, who decides to pay Liam a visit. The confused boy is sure that this man is Santa, and Satan doesn’t correct him to have a bit of fun. Liam is given three wishes from the red guy, which sounds like a dream come true, but nothing comes without a price… I’ve seen quite average ratings, but I actually enjoyed this comedy. Especially, since I’m tired of all those copy-paste romcoms, so a dyslexic boy meeting Satan sounds like a brilliant idea to me. I agree that some jokes were cringy, but in the end, I liked it more than another “girl from a big city goes to a little town and meets the most handsome man there and it’s Christmas time”. Jack Black is a marvellous comedian, so I never get bored with his performances. Perhaps it’s not a film to watch with your grandparents or that annoying aunt that feels offended by literally everything, but if you’re looking for a ridiculous production with Xmassy vibes, then that’s a great choice. Anyway, no matter what you’re planning to do these days, eat well, sleep well, take care of yourself and don’t get surprised to see Jack Black in your living room one night. Merry and bright!

My rating: 6/10
S.

Only monsters play god. “Frankenstein” (2025)

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directed by Guillermo del Toro
© 2025 Netflix. All Rights Reserved.

Before I move on to telling you about the film, let me just remind you about one important fact: Frankenstein is the surname of the scientist who made the creature, not the creature itself. But I guess no matter how many times someone says that, we will still see the green head with screws in it. Anyway, we’ve seen so many different adaptations of this story, so the question is: do we need another one? And my answer is: yes, we do. Before I explain you my point of view, let me introduce you to the plot in case some of you might not be familiar with it that much. We move back to the 19th century where we meet Victor Frankenstein (Oscar Isaac), a son of the best surgeon, who follows his father’s steps. Victor wishes to become an even better specialist who will be able to win with death. The medical community pushes him away for such attempts, but then, a wealthy merchant, Henrich Harlander (Christoph Waltz), offers his money to support Victor’s work. If you think it was just a friendly gesture then you’ll see that nothing comes for free. Anyway, as you might be guessing, Victor succeeds and revives a creature, which becomes a huge challenge to face. Now, whatever happens to the “monster” is his creator’s choice. And Victor doesn’t really know how to play god… Now, do you know why we need next adaptations of this story? Because it’s universal and each time it may give us a different kind of reflection. After watching del Toro’s film I realised that he managed to tell two stories in one. The first is about a boy whose traumatic experience and fear of losing control pushed him to creating something he couldn’t take responsibility for. The second is about a creature that doesn’t belong to this world and cannot even count on the person that brought it here. And you know what they have in common? They both struggle with loneliness, just in their own way. Even though “Frankenstein” was written in 1818, its messages might still be useful nowadays. I know it’s hard to accept sometimes, but we’re just humans, so instead of playing god, we should just make the best of what’s in our hands. But, getting back to this adaptation – if Jacob Elordi and make-up artists working on set do not get at least nominations to Oscars and other cinema awards, I’ll be incredibly disappointed. They absolutely nailed it and I have to say that Elordi is incredibly attractive even with this number of stitches on his body. The only thing that I’d change would be the length of the film – to me, it could have been a bit shorter. But I loved the fact that we could learn the story from two perspectives and sympathise with both of them. Yes, I sympathised with Victor, because I understand where his anger came from. Perhaps you’ll have a different reflection. Check it out.

My rating: 7/10
S.

Nothing is as simple as black and white. “Pleasantville” (1998)

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directed by Gary Ross
© 1998 New Line Cinema. All Rights Reserved.

Haven’t you ever wanted to enter the film/series that you’re currently watching? You know, just jump into the screen and become one of the characters there? Become a superhero fighting the bad guy? Or kissing the beautiful lady/handsome gentleman in a romantic scene? Or just enjoy peace in a silent film? Well, I bet we’ve all thought about it at some point. Today, I’m recommending you a film in which the main characters actually make it happen. We get to know David (Tobey Maguire), who’s a high-school student and a huge fan of “Pleasantville” – a black and white sitcom from the 50s. There’s about to be a marathon of the series and David wants to watch it, but he starts fighting over the remote with his sister Jennifer (Reese Witherspoon), which leads to breaking it. Suddenly, a repairman visits them and offers a better remote instead of their broken one. When the siblings use the new remote, they are magically transported into the world of Pleasantville. David and Jennifer are taken for Bud and Mary Sue, the series children. They obviously want to go back, but the repairman, who contacts them through a TV, says they should be thankful for this opportunity and disappears leaving the teenagers in the black and white world. They need to adapt to the situation and act like they actually belong there. They will not only learn about the reality of Pleasantville, but also become a chance for its people to discover what’s beyond. I was pleasantly (see what I did there?) surprised watching this film because it’s not just a silly comedy about two teenagers stuck in a TV show. It’s another reminder that nothing is as it seems and very often we’re all forced to pretend. Back then they were watching TV – now we scroll on social media and we envy all those people and their perfect lives. In fact, they aren’t perfect at all, it’s just an illusion, although hard to believe. That is why we should put the whole energy into strengthening our self-worth and don’t let anyone deprive us of our own colours. Damn, that sounded serious and smart. But hey, I’m being honest – that’s the exact reflection I’ve had after this film. So, I invite you to Pleasantville and I hope you’ll enjoy it.

My rating: 7/10
S.

Like I’m born to be. “KPop Demon Hunters” (2025)

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directed by Maggie Kang & Chris Appelhans
© 2025 Netflix. All Rights Reserved.

I was avoiding this film for so long, but one day I gave up. It’s because I was too tired of everyone talking about it and playing its songs over and over. Kpop is not what I listen to and anime is difficult for me to watch (forgive me anime fans!), because everything’s too exaggerated for my European eyes. And how surprised I was when a film that was supposed to be just a background noise turned out to be one of the best animations I’ve seen in years. Yeah, I’m still shocked myself, but I’m more than happy to recommend it to you if you still haven’t seen it. We get to know a female Kpop band named Huntr/x – Rumi, Mira and Zoey (Arden Cho, May Hong & Ji-young Yoo). They are not only the most famous music trio with lots of fans, but also demon hunters. You see, in this world, demons steal humans’ souls and give them to their ruler Gwi-Ma. That is why we need such hunters like the girls to stop them and keep people safe. Everything goes well until a new band shows up – the Saja Boys, with their leader Jinu (Ahn Hyo-seop) – and their song “Soda Pop” becomes an absolute hit. At first, Huntr/x believe it’s going to be just a music bands battle, but it turns out the Saja Boys are undercover demons, who want to manipulate people using their popularity. The girls obviously cannot let it happen and they begin preparing an even bigger performance to win with the demon band. In the meantime, Rumi and Jinu start talking to each other in private and it seems like they have more in common than you could imagine. If you’re a grumpy adult (like me) who says “such animations are not for me”, then take a deep breath and play it. And I’m pretty sure you won’t be disappointed. First of all, I loved the animation style and how dynamic it was, yet not annoying like most anime productions I’ve seen. Second of all, the girls reminded me of “Totally Spies!”, a cartoon I used to watch as a child. Back then, it was a true hit and the girls had a similar energy to Huntr/x, which made me feel a bit nostalgic. Third of all, the songs are very catchy and impressive! For example “Golden” has become a true challenge for singers, because you need to be horribly talented to hit the right notes. I was vibing a lot while watching and I still listen to the soundtrack now. And last but not least, the messages coming with this film. I’m moved because to me this film is about acceptance. The girls are fighting some cartoon demons, but in fact, it’s just a metaphor of fighting our real demons, which “steal our souls”. They make us believe we’re not enough, we are not meant to succeed, we should hide our true self. Even though the main character here is Rumi and we get to learn about her personal issues, the two other members are dealing with their own demons too. And if thanks to this animation some children and teenagers change the way they see themselves for better, I couldn’t be happier. We really need such films. Especially younger generations do. So I’m crossing my fingers for sequels and I hope the meaningful messages keep reaching those who need them.

My rating: 8/10
S.

Our entire life is a punishment. “Mickey 17” (2025)

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directed by Bong Joon Ho
© 2025 Warner Bros. Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

Lots of people are disappointed with this film, but I’m here to support it and actually recommend it to you. It’s the kind of sci-fi that I personally really enjoy watching, because it plays with my mind, emotions and morality, so if you also like to be “played” by filmmakers – voilà. We move to 2054 where a man named Mickey Barnes (Robert Pattinson) is a member of a colonising crew. Some years before, a team of people decided to conquer an ice-planet called Niflheim and the mission continues. Mickey’s job is quite controversial because he has to risk his life on a daily basis. Well… not even risk it – he goes to work in order to die. Before you lose your mind trying to understand, let me explain: Mickey gets incredibly difficult tasks to do thanks to which the crew learns about the new planet. If there’s some unknown place to explore or some substance to try – Mickey is the guy. How is it possible this guy is still alive? The answer is: reprinting. When Mickey dies during a mission, his body gets reprinted, so basically they create Mickey’s clone. But what’s quite innovative is the fact that his original memory stays. So even though Mickey has been reprinted several times, he’s still the same person, who remembers all his deaths. Yeah, that’s the creepy part. Things get complicated when Mickey survives one mission despite being considered dead and the crew reprints him before he even dies… Are you still following? If not, you must see the film to clear things out. Anyway, I love the idea and I had a lot of fun watching this production. Pattinson is great as Mickey, who’s slightly goofy and naive, so I was quite surprised. Personally, I wouldn’t have guessed the actor could do well with such task, but he nailed it. There are lots of hilarious moments, but there’s also the other side, which definitely caught my attention. You see, in such reality, Mickey becomes a lab rat, who is pushed to doing things others wouldn’t even dare trying. Of course, he can be reprinted, so basically he’s immortal, but the memories are saved, which means all the deaths stay with him. Some might be quick, but others are long and painful. It’s terrifying to imagine. In fact, Mickey, in my opinion, represents all the animals that humans torture in order to receive certain answers. Just in Mickey’s case, he gave his consent. Animals cannot do that. And animals cannot be reprinted. It’s just another film showing how cruel and selfish humans can be. Yet, it’s told in a fresh and quite interesting way, so to me – this is a cool sci-fi production that you should see.

My rating: 6/10
S.

No eating after midnight. “Gremlins” (1984)

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directed by Joe Dante
© 1984 Warner Bros. All Rights Reserved.

Ho, ho, ho! Are you hoping for some overly cute romantic comedy for Christmas? Not this time, buddy. This year has been a real rollercoaster of unexpected events, so I’m about to stay in the mood and today, I have a horror for you. Well, it’s not much of a horror, rather a creepy comedy that’s happening around the Christmas time. But if you asked me about this film when I was yet a child, I’d probably hide under a blanket. So if you want to know what film kept me awake when I was a kiddo, keep reading. It all starts with a man named Randall (Hoyt Axton) who is looking for a Christmas gift for his son, Billy (Zach Galligan). In one store, he finds a cute little creature that looks like a mix of a teddy bear, monkey and Dumbo the elephant. It’s called “mogwai”, which in Cantonese means “devil”. Perfect Christmas gift if you ask me. The little furry devil comes with 3 rules to remember. One – never expose it to light because it may kill it. Two – never let it have any contact with water. Three – a true nightmare of overworked adults – never let it eat after midnight. As you might be already guessing, all those three rules get broken at some point – that’s the fun part of a horror, right? The little devil is given a new name – Gizmo, and step by step smart humans around him break the three rules. Gizmo is accidentally exposed to a bit of light, which doesn’t kill it, but hurts it. Then, Billy’s friend spills some water on Gizmo and… something happens, but it’s for you to see. That part is rather funny, but stay with me, because there’s still the third rule. And that’s the moment when you realise why this adorable creature was originally called “mogwai”… Not sure you want your children to watch the film, because I remember I was seriously scared of some of its parts. However, as an adult, I feel deep nostalgia and even recently I got myself a Gizmo toy. The cashier asked whether it’s for my child and I said: “no, it’s for me, but I promise not to shower it.” – the lady didn’t catch that. So if you grew up watching “Gremlins”, I bet you must be a great person with numerous traumas to discuss with your therapist. Anyway, if you feel some Spielberg’s vibes watching the film, you’re feeling them right because he’s the executive producer and his adventurous nature can be spotted there. However, rumours say he considered giving this project to Tim Burton, which is difficult to imagine for me. I mean, I adore both directors, but each of them is living in his own world. Not sure a mix of both would be such a success. Anyway, if you’re looking for some 80s vibes and something to see this Christmas which will put all the kids to bed immediately, then you know what to choose. And if you enjoy it, there’s also a sequel from 1990. I hope you’ll have a good time, but remember… don’t you dare eating after midnight…

My rating: 7/10
S.