Stanislaus

Rap passes me by in a giant arc and I'm not a fan of handheld cameras, yet BANGER. won me over and I was extremely impressed. It's basically one incredibly wild and frantic ride that works almost perfectly from start to finish. A big part of this is the fact that the film is shot on an iPhone and that the action takes place over the course of a few hours. Thanks to the original insertions and the novel visual concept, this is an extraordinary experience in the context of Czech cinema. When it comes to the acting, I was most entertained by Marsell Bendig (I even thought he was Jan Bendig for a good part of the film), he truly amazed with his performance. Towards the end, the film reminded me of Coal Tower, but it was qualitatively on another level.

(Spoiler alert!) It’s probaly impossible not to compare Don’t Worry Darling with The Stepford Wives and similar films in which an apparently perfect reality is not what it seems. Since the similarity to The Stepford Wives is very obvious, you get a relatively early idea of what the film is actually about, and expect perhaps to get some more fundamental and shocking twist at the end, which doesn't quite happen. Still, I must commend the good production and costume design evoking the 1950s, as well as the unmistakable and truly oppressive soundtrack. Three and a quarter stars!

In the course of watching Do Revenge, I was reminded of The Simpsons Treehouse of Horror XX (a parody of Dial M for Murder) and Cruel Intentions (the casting of Sarah Michelle Gellar had a lot to do with that). The genre box lists comedy, but I personally didn't find the film entertaining, humorous, or funny – and the crossed revenge theme was reprehensibly underused and tediously handled. I also had a problem with the cast, which, apart from the aforementioned Gellar, I found universally unlikeable. Maya Hawke didn't impress me either. Apart from the weak script, the film is harmed by its excessive running time – ninety minutes would have been enough. All in all, a better two stars!

The second Naked Gun rides on a similar and still very good wave of parody and absurdity as the first one, and it certainly doesn't lose anything on its predecessor. Frank's second adventure offers another rich load of humorous moments and gags that (repeatedly) tickle the diaphragm and put a genuine laugh on your face. A worthy sequel, whose humorous charm playfully defies time.

Leslie Nielsen was (and will always be) the acting king of parody, and The Naked Gun is, along with Hot Shots!, the pinnacle of the genre. Frank Drebin is a devil with a capital D and a moron with a capital M rolled into one, and Nielsen's grimaces and comedic skill make for one of the most iconic characters making fun of all manner of Bond and cop movies. Nielsen, accompanied by George Kennedy, the not-yet-so-plastic Priscilla Presley and the still innocent O.J. Simpson, gave rise to a timeless comedy that will entertain even after multiple viewings.

Shrek the Third is an illustrative (and a little sad) example of how two great films can be followed by a very mediocre sequel that lacks the cool atmosphere that the audience was used to. I'm not saying I didn't have fun at all, but I was distracted by several things (or characters). I’m talking about the uninteresting new characters of Arthur and Merlin, and the annoying Prince Charming. Even Shrek's coming to terms with his new role in family life didn't entertain me as much as it probably should have. The gang of princesses like Charlie's Angels had its charms, though. Three and a quarter stars!

The second adventure of the ogre has pretty much the same atmosphere and energy as its three years older predecessor. The endearing lesson of "don't judge a book by its cover" (even beyond the "seven mountains") runs through the entire film and is still relevant today. In addition to the old familiar characters, the second Shrek features a number of new and engaging figures, most notably the owner of the cutest animated eyes, Puss in Boots, and the devilish Fairy Godmother. The second Shrek offers another solid load of humorous, but also action and touching moments, which will not get tired even on repeated viewings. The highlight of the whole film for me is without a doubt the "Holding Out for a Hero" sequence.

Petr Jákl's Jan Žižka is (and will be) one of those films that divides audiences into several (Hussite?) camps in terms of their reception. I went to the cinema with lukewarm expectations, as there were several factors that didn't exactly play into the film's hands – in short: a cast of international stars in the most expensive Czech film about our most famous warlord, and the whole thing is helmed by a former judoka and stuntman. But I was pleasantly surprised by the result. Yes, you have to turn a blind historical eye, even if Jákl "cheated" by focusing on an unknown phase of Žižka's life, but it is still a solidly made historical co-production that can stand comparison with (purely) foreign films of the same genre. From a technical point of view, it is a decently crafted piece of filmmaking with more than one raw moment, and the film visually benefits from beautiful Czech locations and castles. In terms of screenwriting, it's broadly in keeping with the genre, so you shouldn't expect any deep dialogue or breathtaking plot twists. I was quite pleased with the cast. Ben Foster took up the mace with honour and the fictional character of Lord Boris (though the title is not accurate) played by Michael Caine also impressed me. Perhaps it was my momentary state of mind in the cinema, and quite definitely it was the fact that I come from Přibyslav, the place where Jan Žižka died, but Jakl's tribute to heroism just suited me. Three and three-quarters stars! PS: I never expected to see a lion in a Czech historical film. But on the other hand - why not?

As the premiere of the new adaptation of Matilda is slowly approaching, I decided to watch the now classic version from the 90s. Matilda is a strange (but quite traditional by Roald Dahl standards) mix of family comedy and fantasy film, whose success (for me) lies mainly in the cast. On the one hand we have the endearing Mara Wilson and the incredibly lovely Embeth Davidtz, while on the other we have the hellishly evil Pam Ferris, whose Aunt Marge in the Harry Potter universe was a weak offshoot of Director Trunchbull. It terms of the story, it's nothing breathtaking, and the humorous line is more snarky than downright funny, but it's ultimately an easygoing film that doesn't offend

Arved could be described as "Kafkaesque" for Arvedo, as the film radiated a pervasive absurdity and I was not at all sure what was reality and what was illusion. It was as if the ambiguous, contradictory and layered nature of Jiří Arvéd Smíchovský was projected on the screen. Vojtěch Mašek's film can certainly not escape comparison with the two years older Charlatan, which also tells the story of a controversial gay man from the (post-)war period. You could sense the film's ambition and attempt at innovative storytelling, but also a certain pomposity. Arved is no doubt a watchable film, and I was very impressed by the production design and lighting work, among other things, but it is somewhat unrewarding to the viewer and at times distant to the point of being cold – and too (pseudo)intellectual?.