Recently, I shared a post about a documentary which focuses on the power of art in our life, despite the circumstances we’re currently in. Let’s continue this message and talk about “Sing Sing”, which was also nominated for the Best Actor (Colman Domingo), Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Song (which was my personal favourite – I recommend you to listen to it while reading this post: “Like a Bird” by Abraham Alexander & Adrian Quesada). This film isn’t a documentary, but it’s based on a real-life program at Sing Sing Maximum Security Prison. So, you already know where everything takes place. We’re following Divine G (Colman Domingo), a prisoner who’s incredibly involved in Rehabilitation Through the Arts program. A group of incarcerated men form a theatre group, which is believed to help them express all kinds of emotions and use their time in prison in a more creative way. Besides being a fan of such activities, Divine G wishes to prove his innocence and get released earlier. Generally, this film shows a group of men with different personalities and backgrounds trying to cooperate, have fun and create something meaningful to them. We experience a true rollercoaster of emotions with the group, from excitement to anger, from frustration to grief, which seems to be therapeutical to the prisoners. It’s quite extraordinary to me – this whole concept of rehabilitation through art. Don’t get me wrong, I believe it’s amazing, yet using art, which is free and unlimited, while working with people in prison, often with no hope for leaving this place… those are two opposites that somehow match, at least in this story. I think the pace of the film could have been a bit different, but in the end I find it worth seeing. Watching all those characters who finally have some purpose and goal to achieve, who use art to speak about the things that are difficult to say – it’s somehow moving. Find a moment for “Sing Sing” and I hope you’ll also enjoy their main song as much as I did.
The Oscars have been given with a pinch of drama and controversy – as usual. I’m not going to comment much on the whole event, but I need to put a little spotlight on the Best Documentary Feature Film. The winner of this category is “No Other Land”, about which I’ll perhaps share a post in the future, because it is a very interesting documentary. However, today I have a huge need to tell you about “Porcelain War”, especially considering the current world situation. Is it another documentary about the war in Ukraine? Yes, but also no. I’m a big supporter of Ukraine and I really wish them a lot of strength to keep fighting for their country, but I have to admit that most films recently coming from them have started to blend, at least to me. I can’t judge it because if your life is mostly focused on surviving, then what other stories can you be telling through films, right? So I understand it, but also the idea of watching another film about the war wasn’t and isn’t tempting to me. First – I’ve already seen what they wanted to tell us, second – I’m too sensitive to keep watching such pictures. So before seeing “Porcelain War” I had incredible doubts. Yet, I’m here, telling you it was my favourite documentary nominated by the Academy this year. How is it possible? This film tells the story of ordinary people living in Ukraine right now. They got engaged in defending their country, but also haven’t stopped doing what they love the most – which is art. That is why, despite the circumstances, they create porcelain figurines as a symbol of resistance. To me – this is so beautiful and abstract at the same time. I can’t imagine myself in their position, scared of being killed or losing my beloved ones and still… doing art. I believe it’s some way to stay motivated, to relax and forget about the cruel reality for a moment. But also, to me this documentary shows how lovely Ukraine and their culture are. I had a chance to visit this country some years before this war and the film reminded me of what I experienced being there. That’s the Ukraine I miss and that’s the Ukraine the world should see. Besides, the filmmakers also point out how important art can be during conflicts. It may have an even bigger power than any kind of weapon, so let’s not forget about it. Marvellous documentary, so I hope this post will remind you to see it. Slava Ukaini!
Are you ready for Oscars 2025? I don’t expect too much cheering, because last year hasn’t been anyhow mind-blowing when it comes to cinema. I’ll definitely watch the ceremony, because I like all the dramas and awkward situations that may appear, but I’m not really that excited about this year’s nominees. There are several good films, indeed, but I feel like none of them left me truly speechless… at least not the ones nominated for the Best Picture. However, let’s focus on positives and one of them is “A Complete Unknown” by James Mangold. I was postponing watching it because I’m actually not a big fan of Bob Dylan. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not that I dislike him – I do appreciate him as a musician and some of his songs, but my music heart is definitely more into hard rock and such. So watching a film about a musician you haven’t really followed much in your life doesn’t sound tempting, does it? But trust me, it’s worth checking out for sure. If you like Bob Dylan’s music, then you’ll be thrilled because this film is basically one big music video, which to me was quite pleasant. Thanks to so many songs included, I could actually dive into Dylan’s world. Still, the most important reason to watch this biopic is Timothée Chalamet, playing the main role. When this young man appeared in cinema, I wasn’t so sure about him, but with each performance he proves what a talented bastard he is. I cannot say Bob Dylan is my favourite role of Timothée, but considering all the nominees, I do believe he deserves to be awarded. I compared some parts of the film with some recordings of Dylan and I guess Mangold couldn’t have found a better man to do this job. Besides, according to my research, Timothée not only sang in the film, but also played the instruments (guitar, harmonica), which is impressive to me. I believe it’s really thanks to this young actor that we may appreciate the film so much. I’m not sure what true Bob Dylan’s fans might say about such biopic, but as a rather neutral person in this matter I enjoyed it very much and I felt somehow welcomed in this story. Maybe it’s thanks to Dylan’s relaxing music, maybe it’s thanks to the director, maybe it’s thanks to the main actor – maybe all of those and even more. Generally, I give a thumb up and wish the film crew all the best during the upcoming ceremony.
This film was a big surprise for me. Honestly speaking, I didn’t like the previous productions by Sean Baker, but this one is something different, so give it a try. The film is considered to be a comedy/drama, and I have to say that the comedy part is quite average, but the drama part can hit you hard. We get to know Anora (Mikey Madison), a 23-year-old woman working as a stripper. She’s attractive and sensual, so making a living out of it comes easy to her. One day, she’s introduced to Vanya (Mark Eydelshteyn), a spoilt 21-year-old, who also happens to be a Russian oligarch son. The boy… I mean, the man (after all he’s 21) likes Anora and pays for her company several times. Since he’s a wealthy kiddo, the woman earns a lot for those meetings and even though she’s not really into him, the game continues. She makes him believe she’s actually enjoying this time spent together. Anora’s so convincing that Vanya falls in love and wants to marry her. Disgustingly rich husband and a chance for a better quality life? Sounds like a dream come true! Unfortunately, Vanya’s family isn’t supporting this idea, but… it’s a bit too late, because the couple has already made it official… At first, I wasn’t taking the story too seriously, especially since I knew it’s also a comedy. Indeed, there are several moments that may make you giggle, but the longer you watch, the more you understand the perspective of Anora. However, the reason why I appreciated the film is actually hidden at the end, so I need to share my thoughts about it and yes, SPOILERS are coming. So… to me, what happens at the end is a tragic summary of Anora’s life and destiny. No matter how sensitive, loving, affectionate you are, if you get into such business, you slowly deprive yourself of having healthy feelings. If on a daily basis they treat you like a sex toy and a great body to stare at, then you unconsciously forget what it’s like to be appreciated for who you are deep inside. Even if you find someone important to you, there’s some invisible barrier between what you can and what you want to express. This is really complicated, but if you watch the film and pay attention to the ending, you may understand my point of view. In my opinion, this story is amazing for its dramatic side. The question I ask myself – is this problem of losing oneself only an issue among sex workers and strippers, or maybe it’s more common? I guess no matter who we are, the pressure of our times may push us to masking our needs and feelings. What if one day the mask won’t go off? “Anora” has led me to such reflections, so let’s see where it’ll lead you.
In 2009 the cinema world gave us “Mary and Max”, which is a very important film in my life. One day I’ll write you about it, but I need a good moment for that. Today, however, I can gladly recommend you “Memoir of a Snail”, a film by the same director, which was made last year and got a nomination for the Best Animated Feature. I’m not going to keep it a secret – this is my personal winner of the category this year. Deep inside I know that it won’t win because of numerous reasons (the Academy reasons, so not very logical to me), but I’m thrilled to see this title on the list and I hope Adam Elliot will be praised by viewers for his filmmaking talent. Unlike other nominees, this animation isn’t actually for children. In fact, I wouldn’t recommend you to show it to children because, well… that would be a great, yet quite traumatising life lesson for them. We get to know Grace (Sarah Snook, young Grace – Charlotte Belsey), a little girl living in Melbourne in the 70s. She has a twin brother Gilbert (Kodi Smit-McPhee, young Gilbert – Mason Litsos) and an alcoholic father who’s currently in a wheelchair. The mother died in childbirth, so the siblings are being raised by one parent only. However, considering their situation, the twins have to take care of each other, because they can’t really count on their father. When the man dies, Grace and Gilbert are separated by social services and sent to two totally different sides of the country. Later we learn about the rest of the story from a grown-up Grace, who’s remembering and reflecting on her life. Just like in “Mary and Max”, the director again focuses on the worst and most difficult topic we may imagine – loneliness. His characters are always those outsiders who don’t fit anywhere, so they either suffer alone or find other outsiders and experience a pinch of happiness in their miserable reality. Some reviewers claim that this film is too dark, but if you take a moment and look around – we’re living in this dark. Some of us may have been more lucky, but there’s a bunch of people whose life is a series of unfortunate events. One problem ends, another one appears, and then we die. I know, we love cinema for this opportunity to forget about our reality for a moment, but maybe sometimes such raw productions may comfort us even more? To me, Elliot’s animations are therapeutical. I may see myself in his characters and watch how they manage our common struggles. It’s hard to explain, but such experience might be both painful and soothing. Finally, I’ve always been a huge fan of stop-motion animation and I will always support this technique because I know how much effort it takes to make even a minute of such film (I used to be playing with it, so my respect for those animators is insane!). So, all my fingers are crossed for Adam Elliot! Maybe the Academy surprises us. Fun fact, Elliot has already won an Oscar, but it was in 2004 and for his short animation “Harvie Krumpet”, which I also recommend you to see, by the way. Time to win for a feature film! And if not – please, keep making your exceptional animations no matter what.
Oscars 2025 are coming soon, so expect a lot of recommendations from me with the nominated titles. This year, again, I have films that I strongly support and at least one film that’s a huge joke to me. What’s more, I’m actually worried that based on the Academy choices, that joke of a film might win the main Oscar… Stay strong, dear filmmakers. I know the Academy rules and restrictions for the nominees are already questionable, but please, keep making good cinema. There are so many horrible productions that have won Oscars and later on they are forgotten. I guess it’s better to do quality and skip the fancy party, right? Okay, enough complaining, because I actually have a wonderful short film to recommend you! It’s a Dutch production about a woman named Lara (Ellen Parren), who’s currently at work and is having some technical issues with her computer. The system update blocks pretty much everything unless she succeeds in a CAPTCHA test. Before you ask uncle Google, let me explain: CAPTCHA – Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart. And before you think of using uncle Google again: that’s a series of online tests which most of us have seen at least once. Whenever you have to type the letters or numbers (often written by a 5-year-old with dysgraphia) from a picture, or you need to indicate which parts of a picture contain a certain object (for example a road) – that’s CAPTCHA. We’ve been there, done that. So Lara is asked to do such test and fails, several times. We even see her clicking the correct parts of the picture and still, the test says it’s incorrect. She cannot prove she’s human. Sounds ridiculous, right? She decides to call technical support and the gentleman from the other side says that perhaps Lara is in fact a robot who doesn’t know about it yet. And the rest is for you to see. I was thrilled to watch this short film because it kept me curious and engaged in the story from the beginning till the end. I’m a big fan of sci-fi, especially when it focuses on human/non-human matters. That’s great the filmmakers didn’t decide to make it longer, because those 22 minutes are absolutely enough to present the problem and give us some food for thought. Another brilliant story about people acting like gods and not thinking of the consequences of their actions. To me, that’s this year’s winner, so chapeau bas, my fingers are crossed and good luck!
Oscars 2024 in few words: predictable event with a clapping doggo, naked guy, twins reunited and Ryan Gosling impersonating Marilyn Monroe. I had my choices and agreed with the Academy only in 6 categories, but I predicted most winners, so to me it was like “oh yeah, obviously” for the whole night. You won’t find my post about this year’s main winner – “Oppenheimer” because, surprise, surprise, I did not like it that much. Christopher Nolan is one of the greatest directors of our times, but this was far from astonishing me, so I’m sorry. As you can be guessing, I disagree with this choice, so in order to pay some respect to my personal winner, today I’m giving you a post about “Anatomy of a Fall”. I needed a lot of time to analyse the nominees and decide who’s my favourite, but I’m pretty sure this film should have won the main Oscar. But let’s start from the beginning since you might have no idea what it’s about. We get to know Sandra Voyter (Sandra Hüller), a German novelist living in French mountains together with her husband Samuel (Samuel Theis) and son Daniel (Milo Machado-Graner). Everything begins in their house where Sandra is being interviewed by some student. Unfortunately, the ladies cannot really focus on the conversation since Samuel is playing very loud music upstairs. Sandra isn’t much bothered by this fact explaining it’s how her husband relaxes. The ladies postpone the interview and at the same time Daniel takes their dog for a walk. When the boy gets back, he finds his father lying dead on the ground. He calls his mother, who comes out unaware of the accident and immediately grabs her phone to call for help. As you might be guessing, the investigation begins and everybody’s trying to understand what happened. Sandra, obviously, claims she didn’t kill her husband, but there are some clues that speak against her statement. If you think this is another boring crime drama, then let me assure you it’s not. This film is a mind game. As a viewer, you know exactly as much as those who need to decide whether Sandra is guilty or not. So at some point you may feel like one of the judges, who can only observe, listen and analyse. I’ve heard a lot of comments that this film is too boring because they basically talk. But that’s the point, my dear, that’s the point. The power of every single word is incredibly crucial here. You have to pay attention to every sentence, every facial expression, body language and even the language. Sandra has to testify in a French court and she’s forced to use French, which is her third language. That’s already a factor that may change the way you see things. At some point we get to listen to an audio recording of the couple (found on a cellphone). Here, the filmmakers also let us experience it as if we were in that court, because we hear some noises, but we don’t get the answer what happened. We do get to hear Sandra’s version, but is it an honest one? See, this film, in my opinion, is for you to realise that we may not always know the right answer to everything. Sometimes, we just have to decide which version works best for us, or which version will make the smallest damage, or which version will be safer. And it’s not only about lawsuits, but all the choices we make in our personal life. There’s a wonderful scene in this film where Sandra is talking to her lawyer Vincent (Swann Arlaud) and she tells him “I did not kill him”, to which Vincent replies “That’s not the point”. And I believe this line is the quintessence of the story. I asked my readers on Instagram whether they think Sandra killed Samuel or not. And the result was 50-50. But that’s not the point. The point is you had an opportunity to make up your own mind and make a decision that works for you. I also have my opinion and chose my version of the story, but I don’t want to share it. I want you to watch this marvellous film and join the game. Chapeau bas to everyone involved in the process of making the film, congratulations for winning an Oscar for the best original screenplay (absolutely deserved), loud applause for Sandra Hüller for a spectacular role, and never-ending snacks and cuddles for Messi – the dog. I am truly amazed.
Ladies! Today is your day and you deserve all the best that’s on this planet (and beyond). So in order to sweeten your holiday, I’d like to recommend you a short documentary that’s nominated to Oscars, which, in my humble opinion, is a beautiful 22-minute-long wish to you all. It’s a story about two lovely elderly women, who share their everyday life with us. They live together as best friends and their house couldn’t be happier. Despite their age, they know how to have fun and they don’t slow down, oh no. They play, they dance, they fart loud and nobody is allowed to change that. They are a human form of “you only live once” and to me, this short documentary is filled with inspiration, love and warmth. Since the film isn’t long, I won’t keep this post long either. I believe this nominee is a winner (at least my personal), because it’s unique, funny and tells an incredible story, which seems so common, yet eye-opening. I wish you all such friendship and so much joy in life. You already have this joy – all you need is to spot it. Sometimes it’s hidden in your morning coffee or favourite armchair you like to sit in. So it’s time to notice such joy and your life will be sweeter. Stay lovely, stay strong and watch wonderful films!
Boy we needed such film so badly! If you’ve seen this title among the nominees and thought “mhm whatever, something else will win”, you’re probably right, but it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t see this one. Since I try to see as many nominated productions as possible before the big night, I obviously watched “American Fiction”. Simply because it was on the list. And you can’t even imagine how glad I am it’s there, now. We get to meet Monk (Jeffrey Wright), a writer and professor. He’s incredibly intelligent and whatever he writes is appreciated by the academic society, but the man has bigger ambitions as wishes to be seen as a great novelist all over the country, or even the world. A lot happens in his personal life, but you’re not here to read about that, you will see everything in the film, so I’ll get to the most important part – Monk decides to write a satirical novel. Why? Because he’s Black. I know, you’re probably wondering what’s going on here, but it’s true. He’s Black and whatever he does, all those common stereotypes are following him everywhere, so he decides to write the most Black-ish novel by a “very Black author”. Since this stereotypical narration about the Black is so popular, why not mocking it and earning some extra money, right? And how surprised he is when the book turns out to have a huge potential for a bestseller… And now, what is this film about? I feel like each person that has seen it and talked to me about it has a totally different opinion. But since it’s my blog, I’ll gladly share my own: to me, this film is about the ridiculous social situation we’re living in. Monk is a guy, who could embarrass you with his knowledge, yet he cannot get rid of the label purely based on his skin colour. Even though times have changed, certain behaviours haven’t. I believe this story shows something that has been bothering me (and hopefully not only me) for a long time – stigmatisation of people. Here, we’re focusing on a Black character, but we could really make a similar film about millions of other people. Why can’t we just appreciate someone for what they do and who they are? But not “who they are” meaning where they’re from, what colour their skin is or who they like dating in their free time. Who they are as a person. And I have a small task for you – mention one book or film which tells a truly positive story of a Black person. Not a success story where the main character has to go through hell in order to reach their goal. I’m talking about an honestly positive or at least neutral story where the main Black character isn’t presented as miserable and unprivileged. None? Well, no surprise. This film points that out, in my opinion. That’s exactly what Monk is mocking in his book and what he’s tired of. And you know what? That’s exactly what’s happening with Oscars. We force ourselves to diversify the nominees just for the sake of diversity. Are those people good artists? Of course, no doubt. But are they all that great and there aren’t better ones who got disqualified simply because they are too “ordinary”? Answer yourselves. And the fact that this film is nominated as the Best Picture is such a beautiful roast The Academy has done to themselves. Congrats. I’m glad, because it’s authentic and of good quality, so no matter what pushed them to nominating this production, in the end, it was a surprisingly marvellous decision. Applause!
Do you recall those family lunches during which there’s a comedy/drama from the 70s playing in the background? So imagine going to the cinema, sitting in a dark room with a huge screen and feeling exactly the same as during those lunches. At least that’s how I’d desribe my experience. Everyone was telling me what an adorable film that is before I decided to see it myself, and I’m here to share a different opinion: it’s dark humour, cynicism, depression and trauma covered in snow and glitter. Excited to read more? I hope so. The main character of today’s film is Paul Hunham (Paul Giamatti), a grumpy and extremely demanding professor at a boarding school. You know such kind of teacher for sure – the one that is hated by everyone yet there’s no chance for getting rid of them, so they basically enjoy torturing their colleagues and students without a pinch of hesitation. That’s Paul. Anyway, the Christmas break is coming and not all teenagers are getting back home, so there has to be a professor to stay with them during this time. That’s also Paul. As you can imagine, the students aren’t thrilled to know who their guardian will be, but it is what it is. At this point we also get to know Angus Tully (Dominic Sessa), a boy who was supposed to spend the break with his mother, but the woman has changed her plans and told Angus to stay in the school. As you can guess, Paul and Angus dislike each other, but they will have a wonderful opportunity to either change their minds or one of them won’t survive till January. Anyway, if you’re wondering whether this film is worth seeing in the cinema – my answer is “YES!”. Why? Since the story is set in the 70s, the crew has stylised the film so it actually looks like one from the 70s. They even made an old-looking title card with logos of Focus Features and Miramax, so from the very beginning you feel as if you moved back in time. It was a really cool experience in the cinema, which allowed me to completely forget about the reality for those around 2 hours. Besides, the story sounds like a silly comedy about a conflict between a teacher and a student, but it’s just the first half of the film. The longer you’re watching, the darker it turns, because you get to know the characters from this less shallow point of view. You’ll understand why Paul is so stubborn and cynical, and why Angus is so angry and rebellious, because their characters are the consequences of certain events. There’s also a lovely lady named Mary (Da’Vine Joy Randolph), who’s a cafeteria manager and takes care of their tummies during the holiday break. I’m a huge fan of her facial expressions, which are hilarious at some points, but in fact, she’s a tragic character just like Paul and Angus, but that’s for you to discover. Generally, I see this film as a story about the power of superficiality. At first you may see Paul as an annoying teacher, Angus as a spoilt kiddo and Mary as a standoffish cook, but then you realise that there’s a reason why they are seen this way. Sometimes it’s worth giving the other person a chance to open up and reveal what’s hidden deep inside. And perhaps you can support each other, even though both sides might be in need of help themselves. I know this sounds like a story you’ve heard many times, but there’s something extraordinary about this film and I really fell for it. When it comes to acting – chapeau bas. In my personal opinion, all three actors should be awarded, because they presented a fresh versions of well-known kinds of characters. Unfortunately, unlike Paul and Da’Vine, Dominic Sessa hasn’t received a nomination for an Oscar, but I’m giving him all my personal awards. In fact, I’ve seen something even more interesting in Angus, which is perhaps my interpretation, but I believe that Angus is neurodivergent. As a representative of the group, I loved those little moments where we could see Angus’ perspective (for example the scene when he spaced out during the party when he spotted a snow globe). Maybe it’s just my overthinking (which is also common for neurodivergent people btw, so now you know where all my interpretation theories come from), but I believe Angus was an example of such kiddo, whose life was even more miserable back then. In the 70s, neurodivergent children would be called “naughty” and they’d have to be living with such label. Now, we give them a chance to understand why they see the world a bit differently than their peers, which can really change their lives. And I believe that Dominic did a magnificent job in this case. So, to sum up, three amazing actors, a time machine to the 70s and lots of sarcastic lines that will make you laugh for sure. One of the best productions of 2023 – consider it a must-see.
I have nothing to watch 