Stanislaus

A short film about love and the sexual urges that awaken in everyone, regardless of age or gender.

Sex, drugs, violence, profanity. Hooligans has all of this to a great extent, which is a good thing within the genre and the issues addressed in the film. On the one hand, I can’t understand the anger and aggression that exists within a large number of the characters, but on the other hand, I appreciate the authentic depiction of street battles. The line with the old men who want to live out their last years with their enemies perfectly set off the rest of the film, which was in the colour of blood, with its tone. In short, a film that is a mixture of Trainspotting, American History X and perhaps many other and similarly raw pieces.

Snow White is neither the first nor the last film adaptation of the Brothers Grimm's fairy tale about the most beautiful of them all, but I can say with certainty that it is one of the less accomplished (in some places even botched). In any film Snow White, the most important character is not the princess, but the evil queen. Here she is superbly played by my great favourite Miranda Richardson, who excels in villain roles (Merlin and Sleepy Hollow). Otherwise, the idea of dwarves who can turn into rainbows and affect the weather wasn't too bad. All in all, a somewhat weaker TV movie in which the best (and maybe only good) thing is the Evil Queen.

Sneakers is a film that has a slower and drier start, but from the second half (i.e. from the plot twist about the past) the tension and action starts to build up, which for me, the viewer, is essential and appealing. What makes this film stand out is the great cast, featuring Robert Redford, River Phoenix and David Strathairn, and the engaging theme of hacking into security systems. The last set-piece was really well paced and cleverly conceived. An enjoyable two hours spent with a solid film that is still appealing after twenty years.

An enjoyable animated film with an adequate running time that excels in terms of visuals and content, but is a little too childish in places, which is something to be expected as this film is primarily aimed at a young audience. The premise regarding a magic formula to save cartoon characters was not bad. In short, a film that doesn't bore, doesn't excite, but doesn't offend either.

François Ozon is finally starting to grow on me as a filmmaker. Swimming Pool was a bit too drawn out and chaotic, Time to Leave could have been a bit longer and more consistent, and only Under the Sand fully suited me, likewise The Refuge. I was very intrigued by the premise and its execution, and the film portrays it nicely with all the right elements. We get to follow the fates of two runaways who have been thrown out of society only to meet (SPOILER!!!) and eventually part ways (END SPOILER!!!).

Cruising is a very strange film. I've seen William Friedkin's The Boys in the Band, from a decade earlier, and it didn’t impress me much. On the one hand, there is the nice and authentic atmosphere of an underworld of gay clubs, but on the other hand, there are many deaf spots and (at least for me) a WTF ending (I really didn't fully understand the ending). I certainly don't want trash this film, but then again, I won't sing any odes to it. In short, a very bold film for its time (actually, somewhere even for today), where the pros and cons balance each other in such a way that it gives a completely average impression.

François Ozon's films have always interested me in some way, but they never really grew on me, which is a shame, because there was quite a bit of potential here. I found Under the Sand more appealing than Swimming Pool and Time to Leave because it seemed more coherent and, more importantly, understandable. Charlotte Rampling is a really good actress and the role of a woman dealing with the death of her husband in her own way suited her perfectly. Sometimes it's just hard to let someone go and it's better to pretend they're still there, but even that has its limits. In short, a solid drama that definitely has something going for it.

Even a master makes mistakes sometimes. A wonderful documentary in which James Cameron debates with the "titanicophiles" and tries to actually figure out what happened after the waters finally closed over the pride of mankind. This 90-minute film is definitely worth a watch, for Titanic lovers like me it's even a must-see. In short, an interesting documentary in which questions are asked rather than answered, but that doesn't matter in the end.

I've always said that Christopher Nolan didn't win me over with his "bat" movies, but with the latest installment of the Batman trilogy, he finally did. There was a sort of atmosphere of unconditional resignation, hopelessness and despair radiating at me the whole time, so to be honest I was quite worried about the fate of the Batman. The supporting characters played by Anne Hathaway and Tom Hardy were good, especially the character of Bane, who for me was equal to the Joker's performance. Another wonderful score by Hans Zimmer and good visuals, especially the very end of the film and thus the trilogy. The director may not even have been consistent enough in the ending and could have left us in doubt, but I guess that's part of the ending. In short, for me, an amazing cinema experience that deserves attention, I certainly won't be one of those who think Nolan lost his power at the end, but he did he take a proper breath.