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The film, although not without its flaws, was an extraordinary achievement in its time, as there was no place for this type of social criticism in the contemporary studio system, and light escapist themes clearly prevailed. The book is excellent, and even though the film did not fully utilize its potential, it fairly faithfully follows the literary plot and goes quite far in its social criticism. It is a significantly left-wing film that depicts both the hopeless situation of farmers and day laborers during the economic crisis and the growing solidarity and awareness of social responsibility. This is evident in the scene at a bistro, where everyone, starting with the owner and ending with the last tractor driver and waitress, supports the unemployed in some way. Overall impression: 90%.

The Secret Agent is a purely average affair in terms of direction, but it can offer the viewer a strong story with a thrilling plot, a very decent cast, with some actors being cast in atypical roles (that is especially true for Robin Williams, who played a completely negative serious role compared to his usual characters), and interesting music by the proven Philip Glass. Overall impression: 60%. Despite the directorial shortcomings, the film exudes an atmosphere of a turn of the century full of social tensions and anarchistic outbursts.

Although not exceptional, this horror movie from the 90s is certainly above average and stands out not for its special effects or set design, but for the bleak atmosphere of a neglected urban periphery, unsettling music, and last but not least, the performances, led by Virginia Madsen. There are some weaker moments in the screenplay, but the technical aspects such as editing, cinematography, and sound are on a solid level. Overall impression: 70%.

Jean-Pierre Jeunet divides viewers of his films into two groups: those who admire his boundless imagination, sense of irony, and exaggeration, and those who shrug their shoulders at the strange playfulness that lacks a plot and is filled with bizarre characters they cannot identify with. The City of Lost Children is literally an embodiment of the director's style, a film that probably best characterizes both his strengths and weaknesses. The plotline is weak, but everything is compensated by Jeunet's playfulness, imagination, and visual style. Jeunet originated from alternative comics known for their grotesque, provocative nature, and artistic experiments. It has nothing to do with the classic American superhero and adventure-style comics. Jeunet would be an ideal director for films based on Max Andersson or other alternative art comic creators. It is delightful to observe all the quirky characters, decorative elements, and the whole peculiar world that Jeunet's imagination has created. As always, Jeunet cast his favorite actor Dominique Pinon in a key role, this time multiplying him seven times so that no viewer could overlook him. For the amazing sets and the unique atmosphere, I cannot give the film less than five stars. Overall impression: 90%.

In my review of Three Colours: Red, I wrote that it is the most sympathetic and probably the best part of the trilogy. However, when it comes to Blue, the substance is thematically closest to me. Kieslowski conceived the discourse on freedom as a problem of emotional and familial relations. They tie us with invisible but strong emotional bonds. The main protagonist loses her family in a car accident and deals with the problem of to what extent she can free herself from her memories and feelings. Her neighbor works in the erotic industry and feels satisfied with it until her father shows up at her performance and she confronts feelings of guilt because she is not liberated from her past and family affiliation. To free oneself can mean to isolate oneself, and it is always just a question of compromise between independence and solitude. At the age of 18, I lost my father and I was dealing with a similar dilemma as the protagonist of the film. Kieslowski is, as always, intimate, delivering his story at a slow pace with an emphasis on the inner psyche of his characters. Overall impression: 75%.

What is characteristic of this film is the year it was made, i.e., 2007, when the economic boom and the price of oil and natural gas, which form the backbone of the Russian budget, soared to a maximum. Film production corresponded to this, as both the number of films produced per year climbed to an impressive hundred, and respectable budgets were evident in the films. The Sovereign's Servant is a historical costume epic that, rather than resembling American films, reminds us of French historical films of the past. The fact that the story begins in Versailles is no coincidence. The inspiration from films that once made Jean Marais famous is clear. It does indeed feature exciting sword fights, battles, brawls, beautiful women, and decorations and costumes. It's not something profound, just a typical commercial film that can still entertain decently. Overall impression: 65%.

The film definitely cannot deny its theatrical roots. It has a significant TV film dimension, whether it is the fact that dialogues carry it from the beginning to the end, or the poor set design and static nature of the plot, which takes place practically entirely in one recreational cottage. Paradoxically, the film was somewhat hurt in my eyes by the fact that I had seen the play and the theatrical performance set a high bar for me, which surprisingly the well-known American actors failed to overcome... The idea of showing the transformations of society and modern American history through regular meetings of two lovers is good, but the comedic and dramatic potential was certainly greater, and in the second half of the film, more and more sentimentality creeps into it. Overall impression: 40%.

The Cave Woman fits perfectly into the series of episodes of the popular TV show about the boorish investigator Dalziel and his police team. The key to success lies in the distinct attractive nature of the main character and the quality script of each episode. At the time The Cave Woman was made the series celebrated its 10th anniversary, and the actors playing the main roles were perfectly in sync with their characters. A certain problem of the series is the length of individual cases, as some episodes contained so much filler that they had to be divided into several parts. The Cave Woman managed to avoid this and fit into one full-length TV movie. As usual, the attention of the viewers will be drawn to the thunderous performance of Warren Clarke in the lead role, and this time he will have to deal with his human failure... Overall impression: 70%.

The peak of Kusturica's work for me so far is Black Cat, White Cat and after watching Life is a Miracle, that won't change. Kusturica is a very talented filmmaker and Life is a Miracle confirms that. In the film are plenty of gems, excellent shots, and clever scenes, but it's all a bit cluttered, chaotic, and dragged out considering its runtime. It needed some editing and, especially in the first half, to mercilessly cut out the Balkan "folklore motifs." It's a bit Fellini or Jakubisko-like, in the style of magical realism, and sometimes it slips into slapstick. Kusturica tried to portray the Balkan Civil War somewhat fancifully, with humorous detachment and without depicting the horrors of war. In the first half, Kusturica's portrayal of a confused time in his country was completely lost due to the multitude of characters and motifs, and I even considered only giving it three stars, but the romantic storyline of the Serbian railwayman and the young Muslim girl in the second half made up for everything. With a sense of perspective, this film can be described as the story of a modern-day Romeo and Juliet with a happy ending presented grotesquely. Overall impression: 80%.

Many films about the Holocaust and the world of concentration camps during World War II have already been made, including big-budget, visually stunning horror shows, and audiences are already sufficiently satiated by such sights. Coming up with something new is difficult, but Stefan Ruzowitzky succeeded. If anything can be criticized about The Counterfeiters, it is the small, typically European budget that does not allow for any grandly filmed crowd scenes, panoramic shots, or visual orgies. It is a small film that relies on a strong story, interestingly outlined characters, quality acting, and, last but not least, the fact that it is based on a true event, and the creators faithfully stuck to reality. The story of a group of prisoners who produced counterfeit money at a Nazi extermination camp in strict isolation and maximum secrecy offers plenty of absurd moments, such as the class differences between a professional criminal and a banker who meet in the same cell to carry out a shared task of devaluing currency. An excellent move was not making the main protagonist an idealistic political prisoner, but a cynical member of the underworld trained to survive in extreme conditions, who has a very unique sense of honor. A strange psychological battle for survival and the most dignified reconciliation with their role in working for the Nazis unfolds between the counterfeiter Sorwitsch, the young communist sabotaging production, and the SS officer supervising the counterfeit workshop. Overall impression: 90%.