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At the age of 13, I was an avid reader of romantic knight literature and if at that time, when Walter Scott's character Ivanhoe was my role model, I had also seen Schaffner's The War Lord, I would definitely have liked this drama from the early Middle Ages. Unfortunately, a few decades have passed since then, and romanticism in literature or on the silver screen no longer means much to me. The War Lord is a film of its time, and it fits into a series of high-budget historical stories inspired by Hollywood works that relied on famous names and breathtaking sets. It is precisely the set that is the reason why I ultimately give it three stars because the half-hour siege of the fortress is impressive even today. Even more so knowing that digital special effects did not contribute to the final impression. Everything else is stale - the love story is melodramatic, the pace is dragging, and the conflict between the two brothers is too pathetic and contrived. Fans of historical fantasy will be somewhat bored by The War Lord. Expressive means simply looked different back then. In the same year, Charlton Heston played the titular role in the film The Agony and the Ecstasy, which is a film from the golden age of cinema, it is timeless, and I can only recommend it to film fans. The War Lord is watchable, but more so as a way of mapping individual film eras and styles. Overall impression: 55%.

I am occasionally overcome by a bout of bad conscience about the fact that I do not know Slovak dramatic works, and this was supposed to fill in some of the gaps. If a TV station had filmed the story of a communist official who ended his life in a Nazi prison in 1973, the television adaptation would have looked essentially the same. A similarly cheap set design, identical shots of talking heads, and essentially nothing has changed in production methods over 35 years, which is a sad realization. I was also bothered by details such as the dialogue lines of Clementis's lawyer, who as a proven comrade would hardly utter certain phrases, even if it were a few hours before his client's execution under such extreme conditions. Overall impression: 35%.

I have great respect for the social dramas of the Dardenne brothers, but there has always been something missing or excessive for me in their films. Yet this drama, set in a corporate environment, resonated with me so much that I accepted it without reservations and with enthusiasm. For me, this is the most crucial film by the sibling duo. The seemingly artificially created situation corresponds to the conflicts that unions and management resolve in collective bargaining in companies when they have to decide between preserving jobs or increasing wages. One of the world's best actresses in the lead role is just the icing on the cake. Overall impression: 90%.

I might be a heretic for it, but I will not join the large fan club of this film. I have, let's say, a reserved relationship towards Adam McKay's work, we don't understand each other, and Don't Look Up is unfortunately no exception. In my eyes, satire should be smart and sophisticated above all. However, this film is kneaded from the same material that it wants to make fun of. It is a pop culture comedy for viewers who are satisfied with little effort in character development, who want to have things served nicely, and, above all, who want to reinforce their view of the world. The film has such a strong cast that I was almost certain I would give it at least three stars, but in the last third, it really annoyed me. If there are comments comparing Don't Look Up to Wag the Dog, with the claim that Don't Look Up is superior, I see it the other way around. Wag the Dog defeats McKay's film not by one or two horse lengths, but at least by a whole stadium. Overall impression: 45%.

Immediately after watching the movie - albeit reluctantly and with considerable hesitation - I awarded the film a dirty four stars because there is never enough criticism of greed and spinelessness. However, I am writing this comment sometime later, when the shortcomings of the script have fully revealed themselves. While it does analyze the causes of the economic crisis of the memorable year 2008, it does so in a somewhat cumbersome and less understandable way for the average viewer. The Big Short does not work as a captivating story with charismatic characters, such as in The Wolf of Wall Street, nor is it an intimate drama that exposes human characters to the core in a borderline situation, as was the case in Margin Call. In the realm of movies depicting the nefarious activities of financial institutions and discussing the crisis of trust in modern Western society, this film simply does not belong to the top tier. Overall impression: 60%.

Well, there are many ways of securing oneself for old age. Some invest in gold, others pay for pensions, and some still want to squeeze the most out of a theme that once celebrated unexpected success with its direct coarse humor. In the first The Visitors, the main characters were already middle-aged. Jean Reno was 45 when he was looking for his future wife, and the sequel, which is supposed to directly follow their former escapades, is 23 years apart. Age is not crucial, although the fatigue of the material cannot be denied. The sequel lacks spark, ideas, and originality. Jean-Marie Poiré was already in deep decline and the comedic star Clavier didn't have his best day when writing the screenplay. Jean Reno does not get the necessary space, and Clavier's comedic entries rely on primitive and sometimes embarrassing physical "humor." Many characters, including those from real history, have incredible potential but remain shamefully unused. One cannot forget about The Scoundrel or That Night in Varennes, which managed to get the most out of the attractive era of the French Revolution. If something keeps the film afloat, it is the presence of a number of well-known French actors - apart from the main duo, for example, Sylvie Testud in the role of Robespierre's sister. But otherwise, it's pretty damn bad. Overall impression: 30%.

I have heard words of praise about Oriol Paulo's work, but for some reason, I hadn't watched any of it. The first two episodes were captivating and gave me the feeling that I was watching a scriptwriter's polished gem in the hands of a director who has a good sense for the genre and a perfectly studied understanding of modern thrillers. However, with each subsequent episode, doubts and sobering thoughts gradually began to creep in. The way Paulo works with characters, the transformations they go through, the challenges they have to face, and the (inevitably fatal) obstacles they must overcome, strikingly resemble the creation of Latin American soap operas, of course, on a completely different production and craftsmanship level. It's the same emotional manipulation, shocking and far-fetched twists, melodramatic elements built for effect, excessive complexity, and, last but not least, the same reliance on attractive faces and enticing bodies of actors of both genders. It must be noted that they are not limited to their attractive appearance, as the selected ensemble also delivers solid acting performances. If you don't mind the overall exaggeration and excessive plot twists, and you are capable of switching off your brain at the appropriate moments, The Innocent can provide you with an intoxicating experience. For me, three stars and an overall impression of 50% is a messy compromise between obvious craftsmanship and mediocre content. Paulo didn't offend me, but one look into his creative workshop was enough for me...

Whoever is looking forward to an analytical documentary about the existence of the organization Boko Haram and its crimes will be out of luck. You will not learn anything substantial about the origin, expansion, and essence of this organization. Those who want to hear the stories from the mouths of abducted girls about their harrowing fate will also be out of luck. This is partly because the Nigerian government has decided to impose an information embargo on the case, and the girls and their families are not allowed to release any information to the public. The film shows traumatized victims, and you can only guess from the hints in their speech what they have experienced. However, the film is interesting because it reveals that the highly publicized case is just the tip of the iceberg in countless other abductions that have never been addressed or resolved. I remember how the world's celebrities expressed outrage after the school attack, and the Americans sent a team of top FBI investigators, only to return home unceremoniously after a few weeks. It is definitely an emotionally powerful matter, but given the aforementioned, it is not possible to expect any significant testimony about the country and the civil war. Overall impression: 75%.

I have a fundamental problem with Eternal Summer - let's say of an ethical nature. A part of the genre cinema tends to depict morally doubtful heroes as fighters against an unjust system or romanticize them. When I look back at the havoc that Isak and Em left behind, I must strongly reject the director's effort to trivialize and justify their actions. Two outsiders, who suffer from a sense of misunderstanding from their surroundings, decide to try the role of desperados, and someone else understandably has to pay the highest price for their entertainment. Go to hell with that fake romanticism of lovers. Isak is an irresponsible, easily manipulated weakling, and the revengeful Em has significantly sociopathic character deformations. The middle finger, which the screenwriter and director send toward the police, and by extension the entire state apparatus, in the final scene, is downright disgusting. If what the pseudo-psychologizing flashbacks show should be the trigger for the successful duo's actions, then settlements and cities on the whole planet would turn into endless slaughterhouses. Overall impression: 40%.

Well, the life of a desperado is not an easy one. Some films romanticize criminals and their actions, but Shades of Fern is devoid of any glamour and shows the raw, hopeless path to damnation. The initial shunt and rebellion against morality do not lead to greater freedom and a carefree life, but rather to an exhausting escape from responsibility and human justice. Stress and fear (feelings of guilt?) lead to the exposure of characters and a crisis of personality. It's probably Vláčil's darkest film, without a trace of hope. Vláčil filmed it during a period of his alcoholic excesses, and although the director's surroundings tried to support and substitute for Vláčil, it did have some slight effect on the film. Overall impression: 85%.