Stanislaus

Anyone who saw the trailer Minions 2 will know pretty well what happens in the film, which is not good. This sequel relies again on the great potential of the wacky banana lovers, but, as with possibly the first film, I felt that they kept a pretty tight rein. They serve some nicely done animation, but the story itself, although full of action, lacked a larger dose of humour and a memorable villain. The airplane sequence was was flawless, and the scenes blatantly (and literally) ripping off Shrek 2 (or Puss in Boots) were good, but I expected more – like the sparingly laughing audience of children in the theatre.

After Freddie Mercury and Elton John, the King of Rock 'n' Roll and his (in)famous story also found its way to the big screen. Baz Luhrmann's films stand out audiovisually, with unmistakable soundtracks, lavish production design and gorgeous costumes, and Elvis also bears a strong directorial signature. I was intrigued that Elvis's story was told from the perspective of his controversial manager, who tried to keep him in a golden but exceedingly toxic cage. From an acting standpoint, I have nothing to criticize, Austin Butler and Tom Hanks are superb, and they are wonderfully seconded by Olivia DeJonge. For me, the strongest scenes were the dialogue with the mothers, Elvis and Priscilla's conversation in the car, and of course the performance with “Unchained Melody”. While I'm not a huge Elvis fan, the film managed to keep me on my toes despite its longer running time. PS: "When things are too dangerous to say, sing."

Moonbound reminded me a lot of Arthur and the Invisibles, but later I learned that it is an adaptation of a more than a hundred-year-old story, namely the stage play “Little Peter's Journey to the Moon”, which was later published as an illustrated fairy tale. The premise (which for today’s jaded viewers is quite generic) is the biggest draw film, but it is the execution and the script that undermines it. Some of the ideas were really nice (like the Little and Big Bear), but they stumbled over not entirely likeable characters and a sometimes unnecessarily roundabout script. While the (child) viewer does get a lesson in the end, I personally missed a greater dose of light-hearted humour and likeable adventure action. Two and a quarter stars.

The Toy Story tetralogy captivated me with its mature yet child-friendly narrative style, which nicely blended fun, action and light melodrama. Lightyear is a spin-off of the aforementioned series, but it shrewdly distances itself from it already in the opening credits. While watching it, several films – most notably Interstellar, Star Wars and The Martian – came to mind in various sequences, from which Lightyear (un)intentionally borrows some plot motifs. The catbot was amazing, as were the hyperspace travel scenes (the character of Alisha was touching while also bringing LGBT themes into the film in a non-violent way). Buzz was similarly "off" as in Toy Story, and the supporting characters were fine at first, but after a while they got awkward and tiresome. The Zorg line left me with mixed feelings. All in all, better three stars!

Thanks to the pervasive absurdity and tragicomic nature of the "little people" Somewhere Over the Chemtrails pokes fun at, it (blatantly) reminds of Forman's films from the 1960s, and even though it is set in the present day with all its modern conspiracies, it portrays equally limited people with their flaws and strong tendency to believe in all kinds of bullshit – the dumber the better. Rybanský manages to portray the world of a small village and its inhabitants who suddenly have to deal with the threat of "terrorism" in a quite faithful way. Next time, the director could easily go more to the heart of the tragicomic, but this is still a noteworthy film from a domestic production.

I love the original "Jurassic Trilogy", especially the first part, so I was delighted when the opening part of the new trilogy hit the big screen seven years ago. While the first Jurassic World didn't have the magic of Jurassic Park, it was a beautifully nostalgic throwback. However, with the second, and also with the third Jurassic World, I felt that the magic and "childlike" excitement of the dinosaurs had faded at the expense of a story that wasn’t always solid due to the script. After screening Dominion, I had really mixed feelings: on the one hand, I was glad to see the old trio together in action after many years, while enjoying the many references to the original trilogy and the many new dinosaurs; on the other hand, I was sorry that that nostalgic touch was often precipitated by shallow lines, while at the same time you could feel the untapped potential of the aforementioned trio and some crucial scenes (like the final dinosaur battle). But the first sequence with the "lizard with a scythe" was absolutely fabulous, as was the massive action set-piece in Malta. I understand that global disaster scenarios are fashionable these days, but I simply enjoyed the adventurous and "family" Jurassic Parks more.

The Cursed Cave mixes beautiful natural scenery (snowy landscapes, a deep lake, distant green hills, stalactite caves) with an enchanting fairy tale story (good vs evil, harmony with nature vs greed) and a somewhat flimsy script and strange casting. The production design and costumes are of a high standard (perhaps only Predrag Bjelac looked more buffoonish than the magician with gunpowder), and the story, though not innovative but purely fairy-tale and educational, had its charm. In the first third, the sequence of scenes with the seasons was quite lame. However, the biggest stumbling block was (for me) the cast: some actors and actresses seemed to me rather stiff in their roles, and Tanya Pauhofová was not a happy choice for the villain, while the demonic Karel Dobrý overacted in a role that suited him at first sight. In the end, though, this is still a good co-production tale for just one viewing.

While LGBT films with a dance theme are not unusual (And Then We Danced, Five Dances, and even Billy Elliot), Louder Than Words benefits from the fact that one of the main characters is deaf, which takes it out of the shallow waters of triteness. A sweet and enjoyable short about (not only) the fact that important things don't always have to be said out loud.

Not counting Hot Shots, I only got to the first Top Gun two days ago so I could go to the cinema to see the second part, which is now being talked about in superlatives everywhere. Since I've only now seen the first one, I couldn't approach the second one with some nostalgic anticipation like a meeting with an old friend after many years. The first film is a pure product of the 1980s, but it certainly can't be denied a certain cult status as a guy's movie. The sequel, which landed in cinemas after 36 years, really surprised me in many ways. Although it once again exudes that macho, sometimes pompous atmosphere, it doesn't feel as flat (or as slightly silly) as its predecessor, and even has more than one powerful moment that occasionally caused a thick concentration of onions in the cinema. I also loved the casting of the charming Jennifer Connelly, and even Miles Teller, whose nasal voice (like Tom Cruise's) hasn't really suited me so far, but which surprised me in this film (plus the make-up artists managed to evoke a striking resemblance to Goose). I also praise the small but all the more impressive role for Val Kilmer. From a technical standpoint, this is a solidly done piece, with a number of breathtaking shots, some of which subtly reference the first film, while others take full advantage of today's technical capabilities. In the end, it might not be a pure five stars, but I have to admit that Maverick really got me this time.

Seven seemingly diametrically opposed men - of different ages, professions and backgrounds - face an extraordinary adventure that is (ideally) supposed to change their lives for the better and give them hope for a better tomorrow. Men on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown does not tell an unusual story, and the development of the plot and characters proceeds pretty much as expected. Even so, it invites the viewer to reflect on the fact that all of us face problems of various kinds that need to be talked about until they reach that imaginary edge. I loved the picturesque natural locations.