Stanislaus

Venom 2 is a perfect example of a one-off action flick. Story-wise, it doesn't have much to surprise – except perhaps, if I'm getting ahead of myself, the post-credit scene – and with a relatively short running time, there's not really much room for any plot-twists (except maybe one tiny one). The film relies mainly on action, light (black-and-red) humour and the interaction between the two "aliens", which doesn't always work. The character of Frances "Banshee" Barrison was largely underused, which is a shame. A brisk, perhaps a bit too digital in places for (really) just one viewing!

Even Mice Belong in Heaven will appeal to both children and adults: young audiences will appreciate the unusual animation and funny characters, while the older ones will also enjoy a lot of life wisdom and a mature story. The film may be a bit simplistic and childish in places – it is a family flick after all – but on the other hand it doesn't lack depth or the element of surprise, and it also manages to convey the theme of death in a way that isn't cheesy or kitschy. I'm glad I didn't read the synopsis before the screening, I was all the more surprised afterwards.. PS: the "bathhouse" and the "water purifier" scenes reminded me fleetingly of Spirited Away.

In many ways, Firebird reminded me of the earlier Burning Blue, which also depicted a "forbidden relationship (not only) in a military setting". The "artificial" English spoken by the actors was quite detrimental to the film, as it detracted from the authenticity of some of the scenes; besides, I would have cut the film by a quarter of an hour. On the other hand, it was a fairly solid romantic drama, albeit slightly predictable, with more than one nice shot and moment.

In his (so far) last film, Xavier Dolan addresses similar themes as in his previous films, and yet Matthias & Maxime does not feel like a mere rip-off and recycling of already used motifs. The first half of the film has a more leisurely pace, with Dolan "mercilessly" robbing the viewer of that kiss, only to then continue playing with us and trying to stretch our expectations. A lot of the characters in the film shout (too much), and I found the music used during some scenes a bit out of place, yet I enjoyed the screening. Whether it was through the tense scenes with the mother, in which Dolan's "court mother" Anne Dorval shines, or during the confrontations between Max and Matt, which ranged from angry ignorance to tender sensuality. Three and three-quarters stars!

With its intimate atmosphere and the subtle yet obvious sensual tension between the main characters, The Man with the Answers largely evoked Marco Berger's work. On the one hand, I commend the dynamic genre of the road-trip-movie, on the other hand, my overall impression of the film was a bit marred by the "Italian-ness" of the characters and a certain superficiality of the individual storylines (the feeling of uprootedness, family reunion after years, romance on the road). In the end, I enjoyed the film, but I'm sure more could have been extracted from the premise, be it on a dramatic, romantic or even comedic level.

100% Wolf doesn't really have much to surprise the (adult) viewer, as it is an incredibly predictable and technically quite weak film. The main character is a cliché to the core, which I wouldn't have minded so much, but I found Freddy terribly unlikeable. I also thought the villains lacked charisma and the annoyingly goofy ice cream man didn't help. Perhaps only the seasoned housekeeper Mrs. Mutton (I almost expected her to be a "weresheep") won me over. The film's message is clear, but too garishly and kitschily served up. A film aimed solely at a younger audience, with no attempt to appeal to older viewers.

Diary of a Modern Dad features a likeable cast, believable performances, and an all-around enjoyable execution that counteracts the pervasive predictability of the plot and character development. Tereza Ramba was great, Jiří Mádl on the other hand looked helpless way too frequently, and the parents and ex-boyfriend were fine. I was quite taken with the idea of stuffed animals and a tape recorder - a decent ad for a toy company. I believe parents will enjoy the film all the more because, unlike childless people (like myself), they have experienced or are currently experiencing this. Better three stars!

Watching The Green Knight, my mind often wandered to Robert Eggers's The Witch, which also tried to spice up typical genre expectations and was atmospherically close to David Lowery's film. The Green Knight is an artistic affair with all the pros and cons that come with it. It is an audiovisually captivating film, full of metaphors and symbolism, but one that is very challenging to watch, both in terms of narrative devices and the gradual build-up of the plot. Anyone who has ever read a heroic epic will recognise that Lowery's film is similarly constructed: a young (almost) knight embarks on a heroic quest to win honour (and, at the cost of his own life, even immortality), meeting various characters who, in a fashion, shape and test him along the way. I'm on the fence about rating between three and four stars. The film was very nice to watch, but it was also a challenge. Well, better three stars!

(Possible spoilers!) Armed with a generally likeable cast and a plethora of film references, Jaroslav Fuit tries - sometimes a little too hard – to serve up a Czech romantic comedy that wouldn't get lost in the genre clutter of similar films, but he doesn't always succeed. That said, Only for Tereza offers a nicely written and mostly well-acted story about the woes of love, the (dark) corners of misunderstandings and family reunions years later (it's a pity that the "I'm your Father" bit fizzled out). The central duo was charming, Emma Smetana was perfect for the role of the bitch, Lenka Vlasáková and David Matásek were rather irrelevant, and Matouš Ruml sometimes made too much noise, which, however, he balanced by short but humorous performances. More could have be mined from the promising premise, but I certainly don't regret my visit to the cinema. Plus point for the solid soundtrack. A better and more relaxed three stars!

The second adventure from the "mysterious life of (precocious) toddlers" seemed qualitatively comparable to the first one, which was in slightly above average waters. Old(er) acquaintances return to the Family Business, and alongside them there are plenty of more or less interesting characters – be it the villain, the new agent from Baby Corp or the creepy "cousin" from the Addams. Story-wise, it is basically a copy of the first part, the plot is predictable throughout, but at the same time it is funny thanks to the many gags, so I laughed more than once in the cinema. Plus point for the audiovisually appealing musical performance. Better three stars!