Stanislaus

The Zone of Interest depicts the concentration camps and the Holocaust from a truly novel point of view, and this is why it will not be lost among the thematically close films. Jonathan Glazer's film does not primarily target the audience's eyes, but rather their ears and general awareness of the horrors of war: at first glance we see the ordinary life of an ordinary family, but on second viewing (or listening) and placing the film in the context of the time, it evokes extremely uncomfortable feelings. On the one hand we have an idyllic, almost 'Garden of Eden', on the other (behind the fence) we can hear screams and gunshots, while in the distance we watch the smoke (of death). To the sound of a sometimes literally poignant musical score, we witness that pure evil can take on a completely mundane, innocent form. As in Anatomy of a Fall, Sandra Hüller gives a supremely impressive performance and I'm curious to see what roles await her in the future. Last but not least, I praise the play with negative imagery, which contributed to the film's unpleasant atmosphere. Perhaps only the closing documentary insert left me with mixed feelings.

Who doesn't know the story of Nicholas Winton, who, in collaboration with other determined people, managed to save the lives of 669 children? One Life is essentially a simple film in terms of story, with a clear structure that purposefully alternates between two time periods separated by half a century, but it is that story that makes the film an incredibly powerful and moving experience, enhanced by convincing performances and a spot-on cast. Czech viewers will appreciate, among other things, the Prague locations and the many Czech phrases heard in the film. In the end, the film may seem a bit melodramatic, but it barely underlines the modesty of an "ordinary" man who did extraordinary things.

Poor Things doesn't deny the inspiration of “Frankenstein” and it certainly doesn't deny Yorgos Lanthimos' distinctive directorial style, which is unique in contemporary cinema. For two and a quarter hours, we have the amazing opportunity to immerse ourselves in a futuristically conceived Victorian world, in the centre of which is Bella, whose mind is an "unwritten book" in whose pages an emancipatory adventure of unprecedented proportions begins to unfold. Artistically, it is a polished piece of work, where more than one suggestive scene could be displayed in a museum as a treasured painting. Besides the strange camera angles and dreamlike filters, I enjoyed the (un)chaste costumes of Bella and her creations immensely. In terms of acting, I have nothing to fault the film. The driving force of the whole story is of course Emma Stone, who handles her role without any shame, and she is wonderfully seconded by the "Frankenstein" Willem Dafoe and the womanizer Mark Ruffalo, who ends up driven almost crazy by a skirt. It was engaging to watch Bella's mental development: from "baby" steps and a few words, to a physically intense exploration of her own body and sexuality, to a fully aware and confident view of the (twisted) world with a philosophical overlay. Despite its seemingly artsy style, Poor Things has the potential to appeal to a wide audience and is certainly not afraid to grab the patriarchy by the balls and give them a shake.

The trailer in the cinema didn't impress me much, but the film itself was a pretty funny and at times quite sharp comedy. The makers were certainly inspired by American genre films, but at the same time they didn't forget to add some good old Czechoslovakian colour, which worked in many places. People who regularly participate in similar events might even recognize themselves in the film and add an extra star. The character portrayed by Erika Stárková was a bit theatrical, the auditors were borderline annoying, but otherwise it was an interesting collection of characters, where I would highlight especially the ones played by Vojtěch Kotek and Petra Polnišová. A solid one-off that doesn't offend and even surprises a little here and there.

Marry My Dead Body is a truly bizarre and unprecedented genre mash-up that has the potential to thrill, entertain and move, but as a whole, it is hampered by a somewhat overlong running time and a few wtf moments like car chases with bad CGI, which are not unusual in Asian cinema. Story-wise, the film more than once evoked Ghost, but driven by the typically excessive Asian acting. The character of Mao (like Patrick Swayze's Sam) had a poignant backstory, and it's a shame that they push the emotions unnecessarily at the end (the ambulance scene was great, however). If the film had been twenty minutes shorter, I would have easily given it a higher rating, still, it's a better three stars for me.

Gyeongseong Creature was my first big encounter with South Korean series production and after watching the first season I can say that it was certainly not the last. Genre-wise, it is a strange blend of romantic drama and war sci-fi with many horror and comedy elements – an unusual combination that may be a stumbling block for many viewers. For eleven hours, we dive into a world of twisted human experimentation, rescue operations, and lots of slow motion shots that managed to thrill, amuse, and move me. The look of the monster is not that good, here the creators could definitely have invested more. But I praise the musical score – well, except for the k-pop episode closers. Overall, the series could certainly be trimmed in a few places, but I still enjoyed it as a whole and looked forward (thanks to the purposeful cliffhangers) to each new episode. The last episode set the stage for the next season and I'm curious to see what direction the creators will take.

Anyone But You could easily be confused with any American romantic comedy, of which there is a plethora in the cinema every year. It's predictable cliché, with some outrageous overacting (the characters of the parents, for example), yet I quite enjoyed this (with its now almost mandatory LGBTQ, multicultural cast) in the cinema, partly due to the humorously parodic winking at Titanic or the sped-up version of Chris Hemsworth from Wish.

Another little short from the Minions universe will neither offend nor amaze. Vector's annoying arrogance and incompetence didn't quite work for me, while the yellow banana lovers were reliable in the field of humour – even if they are recycling of something we’ve seen before.

At its core, Migration doesn't tell a particularly original story - themes like the importance of family and the lessons of wandering are central - and relies on largely prototypical characters. Despite this, I really enjoyed watching it, and this was mainly due to the humour, which has the potential to appeal to both younger and older audiences. Apart from the central line with the duck family, I enjoyed the inclusion of smaller episodes in the form of encounters with other members of the bird kingdom – I had a royal laugh during the scene with the gerontosaur herons. The main villain was, er, odd, but I definitely appreciated that she didn't talk. A low-key, sweet and humorous surprise!

The Last Aristocrat 2 impressed me in much the same way as the five-years-older first film: it's a fun comedy, in which I was again more entertained by the trio of sidekicks than the main trio, and the newcomer Simona Lewandowska also had a certain humorous charm – perhaps elementary, but functional nonetheless. I really liked the wedding line – whether it was the preparation of the vows or Mrs Ticha's touching story about Helena.