Stanislaus

After the iconic Hot Shots, this is basically my second encounter with Top Gun. I would have probably ignored if it wasn't for the sequel, which is currently receiving praise from all sides. Top Gun is an 80s movie with all the trimmings, which has its advantages and disadvantages. Maverick is the quintessential example of an arrogant, self-centred, ruthless macho man, but – as it happens – he has his weaknesses, as evidenced by his relationship with Charlie and Goose. From a technical point of view, it is a solidly made film, brimming with badass action and more than one decent sequence, but the script is a rather mediocre affair that may not appeal to everyone. Alongside that characteristic 80s machismo, heroism and romance, the amazing theme song “Take My Breath Away” is an integral part of the film. If I had seen the film when it was released, I would have certainly given it a higher rating, but now it's worth a better three stars.

Heartstopper doesn't tell a complex story that we haven't seen in a similar form elsewhere (currently, for example, in Love, Victor), and there are no outright shocking twists, but it is so incredibly sweet and charmingly told that you can forgive its simplicity and directness. Even when the characters faced some difficult problems, there was an incredibly positive atmosphere throughout the eight episodes, which you could binge in one sitting, and I found myself grinning with joy several times while watching them. There were also some powerful moments that moved one in a non-violent way. The central cast was well chosen, in addition to which I appreciated the smaller role for Olivia Colman and I also enjoyed Tobie Donovan (Isaac) and Jenny Walser (Tori). The second season, which absorbed me even a little more, offered a deepening of the relationships between the characters alongside a partial change of setting (Paris) and bit into other interesting themes (asexuality, bullying and its consequences), setting the scene for the next season. I must not fail to praise the animated rendering of the characters' feelings, which reminded me of the short film In a Heartbeat, and the enjoyable soundtrack. I believe there are many viewers who will find themselves in the characters, and although I am often skeptical of teen-casting, in the case of Heartstopper I was satisfied with one or two exceptions.

A bookish short in the true sense of the word about shyness, fear of rejection, communication block and the need to "read between the lines".

The creators Serial (Bad) Weddings venture for the third time into the waters of seemingly racist and xenophobic humour, which is still very correct and makes you laugh, even if the charm of the original first film is a bit gone. The ensemble has grown to include more characters and I think the number of them bordered on the excessive, but you can still follow them. For ninety minutes you are once again immersed in the joys and sorrows of the large Verneuil family, whose members are put to more than one test. The character of Helmut was downright unnecessary and the plot could have done without him. I hope that this is the conclusion of a trilogy whose possible sequel will have quite an uphill battle, and might end up being too overcomplicated. A weaker four stars!

It's as if the creators of Chickenhare and the Hamster of Darkness were inspired by the German film No-Eared Bunny and Two-Eared Chick and wrapped the whole film in an Indiana Jones package. Chickenhare is at first glance a slightly unconventional character, but he embodies the old familiar outsider who wants to fit in and is looking for his purpose in life. Technically, the film abounds with decently done animation, even though it is not the creation of any well-known studio. Story-wise, the film doesn't surprise much, which is forgivable in something primarily for younger audiences, but it is pleasantly suspenseful. However, I missed a significant dose of humour (I was most amused by the "square pigs"), which I would expect in an animated film, and besides that, at times the script seemed a bit off-target. Still, it was a pleasant ninety minutes spent in the cinema. PS: during the scene with the "army of luminous hamsters" I couldn't help thinking of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.

With great power comes great responsibility and with almost unlimited power comes ... MADNESS! The new Doctor Strange could have been made in pretty much any way given the storylines in the recent MCU films and the central character's abilities, and I was curious to see how Sam Raimi, creator of Spider-Man as well as cult horror films, would handle it. The film is not lacking in some decent scares, imaginative scenes (a "musical fight" like in Scott Pilgrim) and creepy characters, yet Raimi could have easily pushed the envelope further, as some of the characters were dispatched out of frame in a grimly manner. The multiverse also certainly had more potential, on the other hand, the film fortunately didn't become an outright mess. The newcomer America was more rather bland, but I enjoyed more than one cameo, which the film was brimming with. The first end-credit scene brought another Oscar-winning actress into the MCU, though I wonder if it wasn’t a "one-off". It's not a pure four stars, but I was entertained in the cinema for the full two hours, and that's what counts.

A drinking bender gone slightly wrong, or a narrative from multiple perspectives we have seen elsewhere, but I am glad that the Czechs and Slovaks took up these themes and made a nice romantic comedy with a likeable cast and nice locations that did without faecal and sexist humour. The characters aren't downright stupid (unless the script demands it), and the bonus is the theme song, which you can hear in the trailer. Better three stars! PS: I could almost hear the buttons on Richard Stanke's shirt screaming during the screening.

Nightline certainly looked great on paper, and in fact the trailer looked enticing, but that's its purpose after all. I went to the cinema with similar expectations a couple of weeks ago to see Shadowplay. The premise of Robert Sedláček's crime-thriller has visible potential, but that was somewhat lost in the execution, which in places was more befitting of a TV movie. I was rather bothered that Barbora Bočková didn't look the age for her character Eva, which was also true for Denisa Barešová as Eliška – but whatever. The film manages to build decent tension in places, and the gradually revealed truths were surprising, but not shocking. I imagined the ending a bit differently and I don't really know what to think about the character of Radek. Nightline is still worth a watch, but it’s better to go to it with rather lukewarm expectations.

When Julian Fellowes won an Oscar twenty years ago for his original screenplay for Gosford Park, he surely had no idea that a few years later he would create a similarly-themed series phenomenon with two film sequels. Downton Abbey has already become a cult-classic in the field of historical costume dramas, and it was really nice to revisit the old familiar place after three years and see my favourite characters in new vicissitudes of life. In rating the film with full stars, I am of course influenced by being a fan of the series, and I generally like films of a similar genre. At times it can feel cheesy, as if it were a story from the romance novel in which you can guess the direction the plot will take – yet again, for two hours I was transported back less than a century, to a time of lavish mansions, stilted speech and gorgeous costumes. I liked that the film focuses on two storylines, each with its own charm – while the sunny south of France felt exotic, history was being made (albeit exaggeratedly) at the estate in the form of the transition from silent movies to talkies. This time around, the film didn't even do much introspection (compared to the first), but instead revealed the past while also closing in on the future of some of the characters. The Countess Dowager again provided the biggest helping of entertainment, as well as Carson and Moseley. Along with the humorous and historical-artistic line, there are, of course, many touching moments, which will leave die-hard fans caught in the "onion snare" all the more – even though the makers push the envelope a bit too hard at the end, it was simply a "touching" moment. One of the most powerful scenes in for me was the conversation between Mrs. Hughes and Thomas about his plight in life. Although there are a few minor issues (especially at the end), I was satisfied in the cinema and was once again swept up in the stories of my favourite characters. A weak five stars!

‘Vaccine’ has become one of the most misused words across the world in the last two years, and the journey to create an effective and safe substance was all the more dramatic because it had to be done as soon as possible. This documentary follows in a fairly straightforward manner the different approaches of several departments and their efforts to create a suitable vaccine that could bring the coronavirus pandemic under control. I commend the comment in the film that healthcare should not be political.