Stanislaus

The One and Only Ivan has a pretty simple and straightforward story that we have seen before anywhere else, but it's all handled in an incredibly sweet, sincere and not in any underhanded or cheesy way that the film can be forgiven for its narrative simplicity. I was quite surprised that this is a film based on a true story, which is incredible in itself, and yet it really happened. I liked the portrayal of the various animal and human characters, with the good-natured Bob, the wise Stella and the over-loving Julia being the most interesting to me alongside the determined Ivan. I also to tip my hat to the visual effects artists, who managed to create believable animals on the level of films like Life of Pi or the new Lion King. I was hesitating between three and four stars, but in this case I'll round up.

After the Ed Wood biopic, Tim Burton couldn't seem to break out of his infamous films and decided to make his own "Wood movie". Mars Attacks! is a very bizarre film, but not in the "Burtonian" sense, but in the "Woodian" sense. I understand, or try to understand, the director's intention to make the film just as it was made, but whatever way I look at it, this is (for me personally) his weakest work. The destruction sequences were good, though Independence Day from the same year was somewhere else, and I was intrigued by Lisa Marie's role, who won me over much like she did in Sleepy Hollow without actually speaking. Overall, I was surprised at how many familiar faces were in the film, which makes it all the more disappointing that it didn't appeal to me, either as comedy or as science fiction.

Mascarpone as a romantic drama about relationships and the search for one's place and oneself left me with mostly awkward feelings. On the one hand, I appreciate that the film did not end in a predictable way and offered, among other things, a great soundtrack. On the other hand, however, I found the screenwriting disjointed – whether it was the development of the character of Antonio or the insertion of the death of one of the characters, though unexpected, but essentially unnecessary. Nevertheless, as a an easygoing thing, this Italian piece, drenched in the aroma of mascarpone, is an ideal choice for a free evening.

I can say I'm a fan of the Harry Potter films and books - I basically grew up on them, so I couldn't miss the reunion of the cast and creators after all these years. At the same time, I had some nostalgic expectations, but they weren't completely fulfilled. The documentary is over an hour and a half long, yet for most of the running time I found it flat and done purely for effect. It plays too much on emotions, and the actors themselves were often less believable in their speeches than the characters with whom the viewer has associated them for years. That said, Helena Bonham Carter was charmingly wacky and I even shed a little tear at Robbie Coltrane's final comment about Hagrid, much like I did when remembering deceased actors. The archival presence of J.K. Rowling makes you shudder, at least she was often mentioned by others involved. PS: I didn't have to pull out my tissues during the screening, but Rupert Grint and his stuffy nose would have definitely welcomed some.

If you turn off your brain while watching Yes Day, you will still feel like you're watching a flat and formulaic film that tries to be cool while underutilizing a premise that could have definitely been made more out of. Alongside this, you'll find yourself thinking that life without children – though perhaps empty for some – has its advantages. Both Jennifer Garner and Édgar Ramírez are normally fine actors, but here they have nothing to work with. PS: Why did they have to cram an unnecessary scene with artificial birds into the film?!

"Nobody puts Baby in a corner." We still have at home, though perhaps long since defunct, the original VHS of Dirty Dancing, which I will never get tired of even on repeated viewings. When I was a kid, I didn't pay any attention to the details that revolved mainly around the characters of Penny and the Schumachers, I focused mainly on the "dirty dancing" and the many (often perhaps unintentionally) humorous moments, which, however, still manage to amuse me. It is true that some scenes come across as too cheesy, and that some of the dialogue sounds downright silly, but that's just part of this classic dance romantic film. Moreover, as I wrote above, the film also deals with gripping social issues. PS: "I carried a watermelon."

The Norwegians have taken a big bite out of adapting one of our most beloved fairy tales, and with their modern approach to the traditional story, they have - at least in the Czech Republic – put themselves in a corner. Three Wishes for Cinderella mixes scenes that faithfully adhere to the model and some that deviate from it – sometimes in a good sense, sometimes in a rather bad one. The line about finding a dress for Dora with an affected stylist and taking over the sequins missed its effect and seemed to distract rather than enliven the story. Kristofer Hivju's "whiny" shtick seemed similar. On the other hand, I appreciated the innovation in the case of the third wish/grief and the final confrontation between Cinderella, the prince and the stepmother. Cinderella's arrival and entry at the ball and the pleasantly altered veil also had their charms. Czech audiences will certainly pretty perplexed by the casting of various minorities in the plot, which personally struck me as awkward – I understand the creative intent, but I found its execution (at least in the case of the prince's two companions) somewhat clumsily handled. Of the cast, apart from the title couple, I was most impressed by the stepmother and Alfred. All in all, Three Wishes for Cinderella is a bold achievement, on more than one front, which, among other things, appeals for its assured cinematography and the beautiful natural scenery of snowy Norway.

Compared to the mostly straightforward Bridesmaids, Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo's second screenwriting collaboration is a much more bizarre affair in which almost anything can happen, with some scenes chaining together almost like a more accessible version of Mulholand Drive. After Zoolander 2 (and last year's WW84, for that matter), Wiig reprises her role as a villain, but this time she's more palatable and believable. Atmospherically, it strongly evoked the aforementioned Zoolander 2, with a mix of any of the Austin Powers movies. At times it's genuinely funny, while a scene later it's an awkward oddity, with the two positions alternating with almost regular cadence throughout the film.

Not having seen the original yet – shame on me – I approached Steven Spielberg's film with a clean slate, but at the same time I had certain expectations given the director's name and the load of Oscars the 1961 film won. At first, second, and indeed any other glance, it's a modern adaptation of the Romeo and Juliet love story, where instead of aristocratic families we have street gangs of rival nationalities who are momentarily at odds, with fatal consequences. Spielberg's artful direction, catchy musical and dance numbers and an all-around likeable cast make West Side Story an enjoyable film that's well suited to cinema screens. PS: Rita Moreno, hats off!

(Spoiler alert!) After the success of the animated and Oscar-winning Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, the intertwining realities and different versions of "Spidey" make their way into live-action form, which is actually the biggest attraction for going to see the latest Marvel movie. With a plethora of spoilers and set photos floating around the internet, there's basically no major plot twist in the third Spider-Man - save for one rather unexpected death. Still, it was amazing, even pleasantly nostalgic, to watch the characters from the previous "spider movies" without it ending up feeling like one giant scripted mess. My only criticisms would perhaps be the occasionally jarringly rendered interaction between the Spider-Men and the blatant play on emotions - though in the scene referring to Gwen, I ate it up hook, line and sinker. Acting-wise, it was the seasoned Alfred Molina and Willem Dafoe are the ones who do the best job. The end-credits scene was a bit weaker this time.