gudaulin

The Time Traveler's Wife is a well-made, cultivated film that combines a love story with sci-fi themes, but to be honest, I found it boring to watch, and, although I can't fault it for anything major, as sci-fi it is logically unfinished and overall, it seems really unremarkable to me. It lacks a more significant plot and tension. It's an ideal film for a romantic evening at the movie theater, when a couple in love focuses primarily on themselves and sees the film only as a backdrop for their date. Overall impression: 45%.

A thriller about revenge, which probably had bigger ambitions, but failed miserably due to a desperately predictable and overly dragged-out script, which will not surprise fans and will probably disgust them as well. The action is dull, and everything else, except for Billy Bob Thornton in the role of a drug-addicted cop who has long switched sides he fights for, is not worth mentioning either. But in the end, even Thornton only does what he has done before, and better, elsewhere. Objectively, it's a film that deserves two stars, but the miraculous resurrection of the hero falls precisely into the kind of scenes that can drive me to the highest level of annoyance. Overall impression: 30%.

A routine thriller about a serial killer combined with the sci-fi motif of time travel; however, it is not properly utilized, and it's the type with a time paradox, the one that Zemeckis used in the Back to the Future series. It has an average screenplay and an average cast, with Neal McDonough standing out, who managed to give charisma to his villain. In fact, he is the only positive aspect of this otherwise forgettable film. Overall impression: 40%.

Two or three funny moments do not change the fact that there are plenty of places where the film teems with disgust and embarrassment of the worst kind. I do not understand this kind of entertainment... Overall impression: 5%.

The Sands of Time is a very nice example of how money can be wasted in the film industry when the producer thinks that a grand set design, special effects, and handsome actors in lead roles can accomplish everything. However, the story itself is unremarkable and undeveloped, and the characters get lost in it. Even actors like Ben Kingsley are shamefully underutilized, so I soon felt bored and sleepy. Of course, ladies can admire the warriors' biceps and the dresses of the movie beauties, and gentlemen can enjoy the clanging of weapons, but that doesn't change my conviction that The Sands of Time is also a waste of time. Overall impression: 45%.

I am unfortunately disappointed with the film, and so some scenes, especially the one where the main character comes to the market with a sign saying "Selling plutonium cheaply," seemed like a very far-fetched comedy to me, and throughout the whole story, I could clearly feel that the screenwriter has a superficial understanding of the industry and has the ideas of an ordinary layman. Anyone who had access to pure plutonium and managed to smuggle it out would damn well know who to turn to and, above all, ensure that the material is not missing anywhere. In reality, plutonium is not stolen or smuggled because it has specific properties that can easily identify and detect it. What ends up on the black market is enriched uranium, which does not emit as much radiation and is harder to detect. However, a large amount of it would be needed for weapons production. In the film, there seemed to be an imbalance between an attempt to convey a certain message on one hand and an attempt to create an entertaining film with colorful characters from the underworld, as Guy Ritchie does. As a purely entertaining film, it works to some extent, and I would give it 3 stars, but in general, I dislike the attempt to ride on the wave of fear of the nuclear industry and demonize it. If there are problems with nuclear material, they mostly occur in the medical field, where carelessness allows radiation devices from X-rays to end up in landfills and endanger people's lives. This story is purely fabricated, and if a similar accident were to occur - which happens very rarely - the affected person and their family would receive generous compensation. The biggest problem for the authorities would be the disclosure of any negative information because the media and the public are highly critical of our industry and are always tuned to hysteria. Overall impression: 45%.

Action Man is certainly not bad, but I feel that besides the cast, it doesn't have much else to offer these days and time has simply taken its toll on the film. Some scenes would be worth mentioning as examples of special effects used in their time - it's obvious that the car driving on the road is actually in a studio while a separate image is being played in the background. It's definitely a good choice for a one-time watch, but it won't make it into my collection of best films. Overall impression: 60%.

I could start with the question of why screenwriters and directors insert so many film clichés into films - it is simply because they are proven and effective. Syriana is a case of a film that systematically avoids clichés, and so many film fans have a problem with it despite its undeniable film qualities and message. You can argue a hundred times that a film like Gomorrah depicts the real world of the mafia and, on the other hand, famous mafia films like The Godfather and others are actually fairy tales for adults, but for most film viewers, Gomorrah will be indigestible due to its down-to-earth nature and disillusionment. While most films are deliberately focused on creating an impact to achieve maximum commercial success, Syriana deliberately avoids being flashy, and it doesn't make it any easier for film viewers because it juxtaposes several storylines that intersect only in the very end and includes a canvas with numerous characters in which anyone can get lost. Even scenes of torture or action conflicts are not filmed to shock or squeeze out emotions, they simply observe the development of events from a distance. It is definitely not a boring film - for example, the scene of the car convoy assassination, where the viewer eagerly awaits the inevitable second by second, can rivet their eyes to the movie screen or the monitor. It's truly not a film for everyone, and fans of popcorn flicks probably won't appreciate Syriana, but it more than satisfied me with its analytical perspective on the cynical world of the oil trade. Overall impression: 80%.

The inspiration from Heat is quite evident, but I wouldn't say this film copies it blindly and attempts to sponge off it, but rather that Ben Affleck is a fan of Mann and his famous film, so he wanted to pay tribute to his role model with his film The Town. Unlike Heat, which was based on the confrontation of two tough men, masters in their field, Affleck focuses more on the romantic relationship between the criminal and his female victim, which gradually turns into love. It can even be said that The Town sometimes inappropriately romanticizes the underworld and relationships between criminals based on friendship and solidarity. Reality is much more down-to-earth, yet in terms of the story, action, and acting performances, I am satisfied and have no problem giving it 4 stars. It's not a film that revolutionizes its genre, but true professionalism emanates from it, and for a genre fan, it's a safe bet. Overall impression: 80%.

To shoot a film that captures a war fought with remotely controlled missiles and aircraft from the perspective of a soldier who experiences it in a closed community in the middle of an inhospitable desert without the presence of women is very bold and above all challenging. The film lacks action, the risk of danger, and emotions fueled by fear, desperation, hatred, and pain. However, Sam Mendes took the risk and made a film that fairly accurately captures the endless waiting for orders and deployment, so that viewers tuned to the right wavelength would not be disappointed and would have a decent cinematic experience. Mendes is one of the most talented contemporary directors, but it is necessary to emphasize that his work is also characterized by caution, playing it safe, and working through unquestionable creativity primarily with established conventions. It is simply not a new One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, which clearly criticized the system and undermined it with new ideas and a different perspective. When Forman was filming Hair at the time, he faced the unwillingness of the American army and criticism for lack of patriotism and anti-American attitudes. Jarhead could easily have been given a million or two from the Pentagon from its budget because, in my opinion, it contains similarly subtly dosed hidden propaganda of "American values" to what is criticized in Michalkov's film, when he mixed admiration for enlightened authoritarianism into his remake of 12. In terms of filmmaking, there is not much to criticize about Mendes. Fans of dynamic action will naturally be disappointed by Jarhead, but for me, it's a solid overall impression of 75%.