Stanislaus

When Julian Fellowes won an Oscar twenty years ago for his original screenplay for Gosford Park, he surely had no idea that a few years later he would create a similarly-themed series phenomenon with two film sequels. Downton Abbey has already become a cult-classic in the field of historical costume dramas, and it was really nice to revisit the old familiar place after three years and see my favourite characters in new vicissitudes of life. In rating the film with full stars, I am of course influenced by being a fan of the series, and I generally like films of a similar genre. At times it can feel cheesy, as if it were a story from the romance novel in which you can guess the direction the plot will take – yet again, for two hours I was transported back less than a century, to a time of lavish mansions, stilted speech and gorgeous costumes. I liked that the film focuses on two storylines, each with its own charm – while the sunny south of France felt exotic, history was being made (albeit exaggeratedly) at the estate in the form of the transition from silent movies to talkies. This time around, the film didn't even do much introspection (compared to the first), but instead revealed the past while also closing in on the future of some of the characters. The Countess Dowager again provided the biggest helping of entertainment, as well as Carson and Moseley. Along with the humorous and historical-artistic line, there are, of course, many touching moments, which will leave die-hard fans caught in the "onion snare" all the more – even though the makers push the envelope a bit too hard at the end, it was simply a "touching" moment. One of the most powerful scenes in for me was the conversation between Mrs. Hughes and Thomas about his plight in life. Although there are a few minor issues (especially at the end), I was satisfied in the cinema and was once again swept up in the stories of my favourite characters. A weak five stars!

‘Vaccine’ has become one of the most misused words across the world in the last two years, and the journey to create an effective and safe substance was all the more dramatic because it had to be done as soon as possible. This documentary follows in a fairly straightforward manner the different approaches of several departments and their efforts to create a suitable vaccine that could bring the coronavirus pandemic under control. I commend the comment in the film that healthcare should not be political.

Sitting is, without a doubt, one of the essential activities in everyone's life, but paradoxically it causes us a lot of health problems. Sedentary playfully addresses the issue of the "sedentary society" and points out some interesting findings, especially in the field of ergonomics. More than once while watching, I found myself noticing my sitting style, while at the same time counting in my head the hours I am sitting in a day (which is a crazy number).

The Mushroom Speaks reminded me at more than once of Carbon - The Unauthorised Biography. Fungi, like carbon, are personified and presented in this documentary as an integral part of all of us that was here long before us and will be here long after us. The Mushroom Speaks, however, is not as audience-friendly and attractive as the aforementioned Carbon. Although the film offers some interesting insights and the story of the German grandma childhood experience with "shrooms" was great, it felt very long, even tedious at times (10-15 minutes less would not have hurt the film). Better three stars!

Who would have thought that during lockdown and in a very intimate space, it is possible to make such a high quality documentary as My Garden of a Thousand Bees. At first glance, the making of this documentary may seem like a product of boredom, but the opposite is true. In a relatively small space, Martin Dohrn lets the viewer peek into the secrets of his garden, which is home to many species of bees and other insects. My Garden of a Thousand Bees is a supremely informative and superbly shot film (macro shots of the insect kingdom are always a stunning experience), while Dohrn's narration also makes it funny and lighthearted. Plus, who wouldn't love "pal Nicky"?

"We are essentially stardust." Everyone remembers the importance of carbon from high school chemistry, but this documentary gives a whole new dimension to one of the basic chemical elements. In the film, carbon as both creator and destroyer takes on a physical, albeit invisible, form and presents itself in all its beauty and power. I was intrigued by the way in which the experts spoke about carbon, because their talks were entertaining, but also informative and erudite. This is how I imagine a perfectly fine example of a popular educational documentary - from a playful and entertaining level that can appeal to a wide audience, it moves into more serious and dense waters with a visible ecological overlay. Carbon was here before us and will be here after us, but we shouldn't take our existence for granted.

In his documentary Fathom, Drew Xanthopoulos not only discusses humpback whale research and new findings from observing these cetaceans, but also focuses on the scientists themselves and their lives – both professional and personal. I liked the sequences with recordings of communication between the humpback whales and the visual representation of their "voices", complemented by the beautiful music. In the other hand, the personal side of the documentary bothered me. It’s not very traditional for this genre, and in my eyes detracted from the message of the film. Better three stars!

Pleistocene Park provides a behind-the-scenes look at a truly bold and daring project with an uncertain course and an even more uncertain outcome. The rescue of the permafrost according to the ambitious vision of Sergei and Nikita Zimov looks like a well-thought-out, but at the same time very foolish idea. But it was interesting to see the enormous determination of both men (although Sergei is a really peculiar character), with obstacles constantly getting in their way. The documentary exuded a strong regional colour and was quite funny in places.

Rather than a traditional documentary, Silence of Tides is a kind of cinematic essay on the Wadden Sea, which the director brings to life in striking images. During the 100-minute running time (which could certainly have been shortened a bit), the screen is filled with many scenes that could be summed up as "Life on the Wadden Sea from A to Z and back again". We witness birth and death; traditional, working and military life; we observe natural beauty and human activity. Two distinctive motifs run through the film, almost like a red thread. The first is the postman who uses various means of transport in this remote (and not yet so corrupt) region. The second is the church organist, which forms the most prominent musical component of the film. Silence of Tides certainly lives up to its title - instead of listening to the commentary of a guide, you are carried along on the waves by natural sounds, witnessing many captivating images.

Hidden Pacific offers many breathtaking shots of the marine, terrestrial and aerial worlds, but it falls a bit short as far as new knowledge is concerned – it shows rather than teaches and discovers. But the film points out to the ever worsening environmental situation – plastic pollution and the increase in acidity and water temperature in the ocean.