gudaulin

If viewers were to vote on the attractiveness of both previous seasons, the second season would easily win. Not for the quality of the scriptwriting, which is noticeably weaker, prone to issues, didacticism, and schematics, but for the attractiveness of the subject matter, which this time revolves around human sexuality and romantic relationships. The series plays with stereotypes prevalent in society regarding relationships between both genders, breaking some, accommodating others, flirting, maneuvering among actors often involved in cynical and cruel relationship games, which have little to do with the romantic ideal of love. Everything is set in the attractive environment of a luxurious resort in Sicily, surrounded by the scenery of wild cliffs and a town with a thousand-year history. In terms of acting, as expected, top-tier talent is involved in the project. Aubrey Plaza surprised me; I had her fixed as a typical actress with a specific sense of humor - yet she is capable, given the opportunity, of shining in a character role. Out of the five storylines, two suffer from scriptwriting mishaps, especially the one with the self-centered Tanya is pure bullshit, where Mike White, in pursuit of the goal, resigns on the logic in the characters' actions. But the production quality is undeniable. Overall impression: 85%.

My Way is a disjointed kitsch, where the plucking of national heartstrings is supplemented by a deadly dose of pathos and sentimentality. Korean cinema hasn't grown on me, and Je-gyu Kang only deepened my distrust toward it... Overall impression 25%.

Three stars are a bad way to average out a contradictory project that began with my enthusiasm in the first season and ended in deep disappointment during the third season. It must be admitted that the creators managed to extract from very little (the project manages with a minimum of locations and effectively only a handful of actors) an impressive and atmospheric game about time paradoxes and the futile effort to reverse inevitable events and change one's future. Don't expect grandiose images that American producers would create, but even with this minimalism, clever screenwriters demonstrate how little is needed to capture the audience's attention. The series doesn't boast any stars, but the local actors, combined with an interesting theme and a catchy script, can work wonders. What sinks the series in my eyes is its extravagance, the effort to extract the maximum from the idea. Invention gradually fades, repetitiveness grows, playing on fate starts to feel false and tedious, the magic dissipates... The final resolution comes much later than it should. Dark would benefit from restraint, acknowledged modesty, and 10 episodes would have been just right... I must also add to the faults the ridiculous view of the creative team on nuclear energy. I know, we are in the realm of the entertainment industry where nothing can be taken seriously, and Germany is the cradle of anti-nuclear activism, but everything has its limits, and here a series of scenes - judged from an industry insider's perspective - look like an unintended parody... So, I'll leave it at an overall impression of 50%, and next time, please, use a greater dose of judiciousness.

Only very rarely does a series succeed in creating an atmosphere and style that are difficult to liken to anything else. This series exudes bizarreness, darkness, and the mustiness of decades-old, neglected corners of a decaying house full of inhabitants with twisted characters, corroded by invisible evil. Sticky asphalt oozes from the cellars, altering characters and inducing strange hallucinations. No one and nothing can be trusted, and one mystery after another piles up. Even the main character is affected by paranoia, no longer trusting even his own father. For me, far superior to the overrated and overly convoluted Dark. A lot of bang for your buck. Overall impression: 90%.

Once I saw the name in the director's chair, I knew satisfaction wouldn't come. Unlike the film critics, Jasmila Žbanić failed to convince me of her qualities despite her previous works. Even Aida doesn't excel in captivating its audience; similar to Žbanič's previous works, I felt there was a lackluster handling of the filmic image and an inability to evoke emotions in the viewer at points that clearly deserved it. While artistically only average, there's still the explosive topic of the largest massacre with a hint of genocide since World War II in Europe... So, I'll slightly squint to justify the fourth star and give it a 70% overall impression.

The film benefits from the popularity of the series and the charisma of the main character, but in terms of the screenplay, it's somewhere around the level of the 5th season, which is not praise but simply an observation that the fatigue of the screenwriting team set in earlier. We can observe sentimental elements to a greater extent in the form of flashbacks from Ciro's childhood and his "paternal" relationship with the Italian community of his friends, as well as longing for Ciro's lost family. The logic of the characters' thinking and behavior is also not a priority for the screenwriters, which is most evident in the scenes of the final settling of scores. Ciro has a remarkable ability as a mafia man to utter heartfelt wisdom in inappropriate situations and to throw noble thoughts into the mix, but it comes off as inauthentic and disruptive. Additionally, viewers unfamiliar with the Gomorrah series won't be fully oriented in the characters and their relationships. Considering the nostalgia for the series, I award it 3 stars and a 65% overall impression.

This western is interesting because it plays with motifs somewhat unconventional for the genre. It combines the classic western polarization of characters and life in the American West with the detective genre, and it must be said that Tom Gries did not disgrace himself. Indeed, Breakheart Pass is a film that you can enjoy if you do not subject the script to critical examination and do not worry about the plausibility of the megalomaniacal conspiracy presented by the screenwriter. It is simply an adventurous fairy tale, where you must with a wink accept numerous scriptwriting shortcuts that the creators use to aid their storytelling. The acting performances are commendable, and I must particularly praise the scene where the steam locomotive climbs steep hills and conquers ancient bridges. Overall impression: 60%.

Tenet certainly doesn't pose an intellectual challenge and is one of those films that you'll enjoy the most when you think less about time paradoxes, the motives of the film's characters, and their quest to defeat the Bond-like villain. As a popcorn flick deliberately reminiscent of Agent 007 stories in a sci-fi coat, and as an action spectacle, Nolan's film really works. Thanks to John David Washington, we essentially have the first "non-white" Bond in history. I enjoyed the dynamic opening opera heist, where Nolan drew inspiration from a real terrorist act. Kenneth Branagh also pleased me, intentionally building his villain as a monstrous comic book character. Overall impression: 65%.

When I read Mika Waltarii's extensive novel many years ago, it was a profound experience for me on all levels. Waltari conceived "The Egyptian" as an opportunity to bring everything known about ancient Egypt and its culture to the Western reader at the time of the novel's creation. Egyptology is still developing, and new discoveries might slightly revise the content of Waltari's text, but I still believe that if I returned to reading it, I would definitely not be disappointed. Michael Curtiz's film is just a historical reminder of a certain chapter in the development of American studio cinema. In the 50s and 60s, these expensive costume projects from ancient empires were everywhere and represented the showcase of the production at that time. The Egyptian certainly is not one of the better films, and today the shallowness and trimming of the multi-layered novel motives directly annoy me. It's just a costume blockbuster from the 50s... Overall impression: 40%.

I intentionally give The Wedding Guest a fourth star because it seems somewhat underrated to me. However, I understand the cautious reservations because the director couldn't decide what genre he's actually filming, and labeling it as a thriller is somewhat misleading or unsatisfactory. Michael Winterbottom fails to properly build and maintain tension. It's simply a hybrid that oscillates between drama (which, on the other hand, lacks a deeper psychological profile of the main characters) and the aforementioned thriller. The film benefits from the exotic settings of Pakistan and India, as well as the theme of arranged and forced marriages. Acting-wise, both the charming Radhika Apte and Dev Patel deliver what is expected of them without any issues. Overall impression: 65%.