Pethushka

I don't even understand why the film didn't stick with the original title, which I think is a good one that doesn't need any translation and makes sense, but some people just like it grittier. Anyway, I liked the movie a lot. Not too long, not so convoluted that you get lost in it, well thought out and acted. Everything the way I like it. For a while I was hesitant to give it the full number of stars, but I recently saw a movie in which an unplanned collision also played a major role (actually, this is the third movie I’ve seen recently based on an accident, purely by coincidence), and given my rating of the movie in question, I'll stick with 4 stars for this one. I think it's just about right.

There are few things I dislike more in a movie than a pompous main character. And this one manages to pull it off incredibly well. Perfectly lifeless, no energy, no spark, just her own vision that the rest of her family won't indulge. Yet at times, when she starts to resemble a human, she's a lot more bearable. Sunny, my favorite Thai, took his time getting on the scene, and when it finally happened, he didn't get a chance to act properly. I like the subject matter, minimalism and its pros and cons is a hot topic, but it's a great shame that the film doesn't evoke the "sparking joy" that Marie Kondo talks so much about, which is referenced a few times in the film.

Judging (not only) by the reviews here, I was expecting a bigger disaster. I'm not going to defend the film because it got too silly towards the end, but there were a few bright moments. I actually liked the concept better than if the red dot had been chasing them the whole time. On the other hand, when it was chasing them, I would have imagined it to be more intense and desperate. This way, it's a hybrid of sorts, and almost nobody's happy at the end. A weaker 3 stars

This movie rests from A to Z on its visuals. Beautiful actress, beautiful actor, stunning setting. All very pretty to look at, but in terms of action it basically has no plot. Let's just say that towards the end a little bit of something happens, but it happens so fast that the viewer doesn't get so much as a moment of suspense. The protagonist is very well written by Chinese standards, she has a mind of her own and doesn't come across as being there just for headcount. So I'm pretty satisfied, 3.5 stars.

The acting is so good, I'd gladly watch it all over again this minute. And amazingly its Cohen who carried it for me, despite the fact that I’m not exactly a fan. Whether he was joking or being serious, I totally believed that this is exactly the kind of person that existed back then. Having seen the whole thing, I rate the script as successful, but I guess I won't be the only one who wasn't hooked at first. Once the courtroom opened, the powerful, at times sad, at times funny trial began, with the aforementioned cast delivering a beautiful, at times heartbreaking, performance. Still, I feel that their performances could have been "pieced together" a little better for the viewer. A strong 4 stars.

I wonder how many more times I'll enjoy seeing Mario Casas in roles like this, but since he's so damn good at it, I'll probably be able to handle a few more. As usual with this writer/director, he delivers a convoluted spectacle in which nothing is as it seems. Once again, the characters are well cast, the plots are unpredictable, and all the twists and turns make sense. There may have been too many of them for me towards the end, and it did seem a bit overdone, but overall my enthusiasm still prevails.

Yes, it was funny, it was romantic, and Sang-wook Joo – my main reason for watching the series – was awfully cute paired up with his soulmate, and I think we can agree that there are few prettier onscreen couples. Whether it was the crazy stuff in tracksuits or when they got dolled up, there was always something to watch. And they had chemistry, too, so it was possible to spend a lot of time building their – very nice, by the way – relationship. Still, it was unnecessarily long, the plots weren't exactly elaborate, and they kept repeating themselves on top of that. Out of the entire series, however, I was probably most surprised by Ye-seul Han. I remembered her as a pretty mediocre actress, and after her not-so-successful ending of the previous series, when she "ran away" to LA due to pressure, I honestly didn't expect much from her. But I got the exact opposite: she was natural, funny, madly in love, beautiful... and I thought he was believable most of the time. I enjoyed it, I laughed, I even melted a bit... and that's good enough for me.

While I enjoy Nadiya's enthusiasm for cooking and her use of shortcuts, I'm honestly not a fan of what she does in the kitchen. Not that I take any particular issue with processed food, but camouflaging it in food that is supposed to look fresh and healthy goes a bit against the grain. I just like proper, real cooking with fresh ingredients. And of course I usually want it to be one and done too, but pasta from a can is just too much for me. Plus, I didn't enjoy the parts where she went to factories to see how what was made. In the end, it was the same everywhere. Likewise, the stories of people whose lives were supposedly "changed" by one recipe seemed far-fetched to me. Good as background, but I wouldn't take it too seriously.

A brilliant work inspired by Kafka, or simply a disgusting ten hours of perversion with extremely creepy and unbearable characters? I think it's a bit of both. I have friends around me who have recommended this series, but also those who gave up on it after the first episode due to a strong dislike of the characters. And not surprisingly, the laughter of one of the "team" wasn't very popular with us either. They cast the main character well, but I feel like Dong-wook Lee stole most of the show. I'm not used to him playing this kind of a role at all, but it suited him exceptionally well and I'm afraid I won't be able to see him in more normal roles for a while now. Great idea, but I'm still glad to be past it. Those who have seen it may understand.

I applaud because this really worked as a whole. The 80s, a story that nails the viewer to their chair and reminds them a bit of what was and what isn’t a given. Judit did a great job, and since she was new to me, I enjoyed getting a peek at this unfamiliar face in different positions. The direction was excellent too. The fact that I accidentally came across the film now that the Tokyo Olympics are in full swing is only enhancing my cinematic experience. And I guess that's why I can't score it any other way.