Stanislaus

I am not a sports person, I first encountered the story of Hanč and Vrbata only thanks to The Last Race. I was lured to the cinema by the good trailer, the cast and the story from Czech history. I complain about some films needing to be shortened, but I would have welcomed an extra quarter of an hour in Hodan's film, as I found it to be abbreviated in some places, most noticeable in the line with Vrbata. To put aside my criticisms, I was surprised that while the frame story of the late 1950s revolved around Rath, the 1912-3 line was focused primarily on Hanč. Still, this is a quality film by Czech standards, and in addition to a strong (if at times abbreviated) and (literally) chilling story, it is also technically impressive, especially the cinematography and the remarkable musical score. Of the actors, I was most impressed by Kryštof Hádek and Oldřich Kaiser. A weaker four stars!

The Lost City seemed to play out the pages of Loretta Sage's novels on the screen (with a certain amount of exaggeration), you get both action and romance, all spiced up with adventure and a dose of humour, although they perhaps kept the comic level too low-key (the black-humour bit with the dead woman in the car, however, was very funny). In the end, this is a laid-back and predictable one-off with a likeable cast that woefully missed the potential of the characters Coach and Beth.

In Ambulance, Michael Bay may have toned down the explosions, but this is still an action-packed caper, where logic sometimes takes a back seat to an impressive atmosphere. I thought I'd seen this story somewhere before, and it was only in the database that I realised I'd once seen the Danish version. From a technical point of view, I would criticise the film for the camera shots that are sometimes too cluttered – at times it almost looked like the cameraman was high on something. Story-wise, as I mentioned, there is more than one over-the-top moment (especially during the operation of the policeman, who is almost forgotten in the last act), but that's kind of Bay's thing. In the end, the film tries to play on emotions quite blatantly, pushing the envelope disproportionately hard compared to the rest. The cast was overall fine – perhaps only the pompous Captain Monroe was annoying. All in all, it was a slightly overlong but entertaining one-off, with a decent soundtrack (at times some of the tones evoked Interstellar).

With its intimate story, Boy Meets Boy reminded me of the (more sensual) French film Théo and Hugo, which also centered on a chance encounter between two men and their interaction over the span of a few hours. Lopez's film has a slower pace, and it is only in the last act, after having addressed many topics (ranging from the quite superficial to the more intimate), that a more dramatic, and audience-appealing, confrontation between the two men occurs. Boy Meets Boy is a conversational one-off in the truest sense of the word, with the rule that every person has their own (world)view. PS: Having visited Berlin countless times, it was good to go back again, even if not physically.

I've always had a bit of a problem with the character of Batman - a rich orphan who has money, gadgets and stuff. Matt Reeves's take on the Batman definitely has its charm, and it's not a carbon copy of previous Batman films. There isn't a lot of action at the forefront as much as there is tension and a very uncomfortable atmosphere at times, going hand in hand with a dark crime story. You sense from The Batman, as with Joker, a rather evident (and exceedingly topical) critique of a society ruled by money, connections and corruption. Who is the villain and who is the victim? I commend the visuals of the film, some scenes stuck in my mind due to their art and stylization. I also liked the unmistakable musical score, which complemented the atmosphere of each scene. Robert Pattinson wasn't so bad in the lead role after all, and I certainly found him more likeable than Ben Affleck. I'm definitely curious about any follow-up films that The Batman may have set the stage for.

Bethlehem Night is a truly remarkable and to some extent original piece of Czech comedy, but it left me with mixed feelings after the screening. On the one hand, I appreciate the theme and the script full of funny lines, but on the other, something didn't feel right at times while watching it. I was surprised by how many familiar faces appear (sometimes only for a while), but the whole film stands above all on the Zdeněk Svěrák-Daniela Kolářová duo, who once again succeeded in portraying a married couple, this time at a more advanced age. The rest of the cast was about as fleshed out and underdeveloped as their characters. I was also a bit bothered by the loud religious tones – I know what the film is called, but less is sometimes more. Bethlehem Night doesn't outright offend, nor does it bore, but it doesn't impress either – a subtle flame that had the potential to shine more.

Bao, the director's previous short, was one of the most bizarre things from Pixar. Turning Red also deals with family and intergenerational relationships, but is more restrained, although it is also a bizarre piece if you thinks about the story. This panda adventure may lack the depth of In Inside Out or the plot twists of Coco, but it’s still a visually beautiful animated film with a straightforward but sincere message that entertains and even moves slightly. Puberty and adolescence can indeed be beasts and for a lot of people, that period can be a walk in a bamboo forest – and the scars from it can stick with you for decades. Turning Red is about camaraderie, cultural traditions, and most of all the importance of family and the relationships within it, but these should never escalate into a toxic form. A weaker four stars!

Dog should have had drama in the genre column alongside comedy, because although it does have its share of humorous moments, it also deals with more serious themes (mental and physical trauma, family ties, the search for self) that are not overtly mainstream, even if it smacks of cliché and predictability. Both Briggs and Lulu struggle with their demons, and as it happens, it's always easier to fight together – you just have to come to that realization. Even though one of the main characters is a dog, they don’t push the emotions, as it’s usually the case in similar films, yet I got a bit carried away during the funeral scene and the sequence with Ethan Suplee. An average, but extremely likeable one-off about the seemingly unlikely friendship between man and dog.

As Kenneth Branagh's autobiographical account of his childhood, Belfast does not deny its academic ambitions, and given the nature of the subject matter, one cannot blame the director. Although the film depicts difficult times, it is made with endearing lightness and humour. The black-and-white format suited the seemingly grim theme perfectly, while the opening colour sequence made a nice advertisement for Belfast. I commend the camera work, especially in terms of the planning of shots, and I liked the inclusion of the immortal song Everlasting Love, as well as a few direct visual references to period films. Of the cast, the grandparents, played by Judi Dench and Ciarán Hinds, were by far the most memorable to me, but the performance of young Jude Hill is also worth mentioning. I believe that audiences who have lived through this (or similar) periods will find Belfast more appealing than I did - I took it primarily as a nicely filmed and acted one-watch flick.

Marry Me could be seen as an advert for of Jennifer Lopez herself. Story-wise, it's Notting Hill in a slightly more modern and upbeat package, and you have an idea of the direction the film will take, but it was still nice to watch. I found myself grinning from the heart a couple of times while watching this sometimes over-sweetened and rather unlikely romance. A mediocre and predictable romantic one-off that at times pleasantly impresses, and also entertains.