Confessions of a filmoholic

Right, first things first. Scott Pilgrim vs. The World is awesome. I saw it at the pictures 2 days ago and I can't stop thinking about it. This movie is something I have never seen before - so fresh, original, funny and unexpected. At times during the viewing, Kick-Ass was popping into my mind, as the films bear some resemblance (both feel joyfully anarchistic), but it didn't stay there long. Scott Pilgrim... is breaking plenty of the cinematic rules, or rather I should say, mixing them in a very imaginative way. but you know, what's the best part? It makes sense. And a lot of it - the whole thing can be read as a deep metaphor of what it means to be responsible. Or how to deal with the demons of your past. But don't worry, it doesn't stop being hilarious for a single moment. All the actors are brilliant, with Michael Cera in his best role so far, the music is great and there's plenty of it too. The only drawback, but a minor one, is that some of the action sequences are a bit too fast. If you want to see something totally original, unlike anything you have seen before, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World is still out there.
9/10

Let me tell you about my another favourite, a film I really enjoy coming back to, especially when feeling down, since it is pretty uplifting story. It also is set in a very appealing environment - on a road with a rock band in 1970's America, the time in history when the best things were created in music. In Cameron Crowe's Almost Famous you really can see the climate of creativity and joy people were experiencing then, and though the dark sides of rockers' lives are present too (drugs, loneliness etc.) they in the end don't overshadow the feeling of youth and happiness. We all have our cherished memories from childhood, Crowe's happen to be the ones shown in his movie. If you want to trigger some nostalgia for the long gone, Almost Famous is there for you. Yes, the grass was greener then.
9/10

The book vs. the movie part 3. I have got another thing to add to the never-to-be-solved issue if reading the book before seeing the film that was based on it enhances or spoils the experience. You may already know my point of view as for two titles: Watchmen and 2001: A Space Odyssey, now let me tell you about The Road. The movie is based on a brilliant novel of the same title, written by Cormac McCarthy, which won numerous award, including the Pulitzer Prize. So, according to the theory, that you can't make a good
movie out of a great literary source, John Hillcoat's piece should be watchable at best, especially if you had read the book before. Well, this is not the case, simply because the film is as good. Somehow the director managed to make a very faithful adaptation, which not only doesn't feel overshadowed by McCarthy's masterpiece, but also, thanks to the amazing performances from the cast, makes it more heartfelt. To summarize, it doesn't matter if you read the book or not - the film is brilliant enough to entertain you anyway.
8/10

Not very often I watch a movie I haven't heard anything about. Well, I simply do not like to take a risk. Yesterday I did - honestly, I wasn't familiar with the fact of existence of The Squid and the Whale - and I wasn't disappointed at all. It is a small, independent film, sometimes funny, but dealing with serious issues. Thanks to  great writing and impeccable performances from the likes of Jeff Daniels and Jesse Eisenberg it never loses the balance and is really entertaining. The film's biggest drawback is its length - it lasts for mere 75min. Since we are used to movies that usually are twice longer, the moment we get attached to the characters and become really interested in how their problems are going to be solved, it ends. Still, when The Squid... lasts it is a worthwhile experience, one more reason for it being it features Pink Floyd's song Hey You in a pivotal role.
8/10

Masterpiece time! Or is it? Recently I have seen 2001: A Space Odyssey, God knows which time. I have always adored it, but since I started writing this blog I guess I became a bit more critical regarding films, then I used to be. I realise this movie is considered as one of the best ever, but there are some bits that don't quite appeal to me. But first things first: the positives. 2001... aged extremely well. Most of the time you watch it in an awe, since the special effects are really impressive and the whole thing still looks futuristic. The story is engaging as well, the middle part of the film is science-fiction thriller at it's very best. But there are two issues. First is the longevity of some shots. Sometimes the viewer feels like shouting to Mr. Kubrick: get on with it! The other thing is the highly confusing ending. Unlike in case of Watchmen, I'm really happy I had read the book, the film is based on - otherwise I wouldn't have had a slightest idea of what is going on during the last chapter of the movie. Of course, after all that, is still is a bloody good  film, and if you haven't seen it yet, don't waste any more time. It is not flawless but it is a must-see.
8/10

Hi everyone! Let me tell you about one of my favourite movies - Little Miss Sunshine. It is generally considered a good film, but I get the impression it is not as popular as it deserves to be. It might be the title that puts people off, maybe they don't realise how contrary it is, that, in fact it is a story about members of a dysfunctional family learning to live with one another, and not a 100th version of Rocky, the "rise to fame against all odds" thing, this time set in the beauty contest environment. What you must love about this movie is how utterly witty it is - the dialogs shine, the characters (played by some of the best actors in the business) are true people with real problems and, let's not forget a very important part, it is absolutely hilarious. While I could point out a couple of scenes, that may not fit perfectly, this one should clearly be on your "to be watched asap" list.
9/10

Hello again! How about some avant-garde? Yesterday, I had a big pleasure to watch something called Koyaanisqatsi . I say 'something', not 'film' or 'movie' for a reason. Calling it a film is a bit like saying that Hieronymus Bosch's Triptych is a comic book - they have some features in common, but they are quite different beasts. So what does distinguish Koyaanisqatsi from a typical cinematic experience? Well, it doesn't have plot as such - it is a stream of beautiful pictures of both natural and human-created environments, aided by an amazing score from Philip Glass. And that is pretty much it. But, believe it or not (I guess you won't - I wouldn't if I didn't see it myself), it is fascinating - one really can't put their eyes off of screen. In the end, I have a real problem how to rate this 'thing'. I can imagine it is not for everyone's taste, but if you are, like me, a person willing to experience something new now and again, try this one out absolutely.
8/10

I am quite a big fan of Japanese animation. I am also aware, that many people are not. Some think it is too childish, telling stories about giant robots or talking wolves. Others - opposite - say that a cartoon is not the right medium to deal with serious subjects many of the so called 'animes' undertake. The truth, as usually, lies somewhere in the middle. Take Spirited Away , one of, if not the greatest example of the fore-mentioned art. It is played like a proper fairytale, with witches, dragons and so on. But don't let this ostensible simplicity deceive you - the film is twisting the popular motifs in the most unexpected ways - by the end you will realize, that hardly anything (and anybody) was what they seemed to be. The movie is also a feast for the eyes - you can't help but admire Mr. Miyazaki's vast imagination. The only issue is that, the plot gets a bit confusing towards the end, but it can't spoil the whole experience anyhow, which is near faultless. For the kids inside all of us.
9/10

I haven't seen a really great film for weeks. Until yesterday that is. Do you know this feeling, when you really yearn for a great movie for a long time, and when it finally comes you just want to tell everybody how great it is, scream even, since they have probably never heard about it and you can't simply cope with the notion they are missing a fantastic experience? Well, I do. So let me scream: Away We Go!!! The latest effort of Sam Mendes, the guy who brought us (among others) American Beauty and even more depressing Revolutionary Road, is a... uplifting comedy. Quite poignant, pretty realistic, a bit melancholic, but very, and I mean very, funny. Most of the film's humor comes from perfect performances of the whole cast and the direction is impeccable - Mr Mendes is for sure one of the most talented filmmakers alive. Not only it makes you laugh, but also makes you think as any film about love, relationships, family and meaning of it all should. Trust me on this one and please watch it. Soon.
9/10

Thank You for Smoking is the first film from Jason Reitman, the creator of Juno and Up in the Air. Duel is the first film from Steven Spielberg, the creator... Well, I don't think the introduction is necessary in this case. But is everybody familiar with this particular movie? It was television feature shot in 12 days, by then-unknown young director and it showed so good it earned a proper cinematic release. But is it any good now? Can a 40-year old, shot for pennies film, about an evil truck-driver (we don't get to see) who is trying to ride over the main character (for most of the time the only actor on screen) be still watchable? Oh yes, it can. And more, it's gripping and exciting for most of the time, feels almost like a Hitchcock movie. The way the action scenes are shot is pure perfection, the actors are great too and it's also got fantastic score. Duel is not without it's minor flaws (some of the chases get a bit boring after a while), but it most definitely is a small masterpiece.
8/10

Ok, so I just have written about three comedy films in a row? I guess you can tell that summer is finally here. But enough of that cheerful rubbish, back to the proper, depressing stuff. I am in my mother country at the moment, so how about a review of a Polish film? Unfortunately, the vast majority of them are impossible to get outside Poland (which is a shame, because there is quite a few, that are worth getting to know), so I'm forced to write about something more accessible, which means it will only be remotely Polish. Something like a film shot by a Polish director living abroad. With it being this season of the year, I choose My Summer of Love by Pawel Pawlikowski - a beautiful story of a friendship (and more) between two teenage girls, based in the ever-sunny (at least on film) English countryside. This coming-of-age drama is thoroughly gripping, being at times funny, at times touching, always melancholic and asking serious questions about the meaning of relationships, religion, honesty. It's truly one of the best films of the last decade.
9/10

OK, enough of the cheerful, welcome back the dark. I am not really keen on Christian Bale as an actor, he seems a bit bland, but I really admire his career choices, with more or less all of his movies making it to the top of my favorites' list. Same thing about American Psycho. Well, this is really weird stuff - a story of an annoyingly self-obsessed successful yuppie during the day, turning into a serial killer at night. Oh, and it's a comedy. Definitely not for everyone's sensitivity (and recommended only for those with strong stomachs - it can be pretty gruesome), but if one 'gets it' this can be a unforgettable experience. Also on the good side there is Bale's performance. I still sustain my opinion about him, but here he somehow managed to make this extremely putting-off character almost likable. The only problem I have with the movie is the ambiguous ending. Of course this is not really a huge disadvantage (it makes you do something other films rarely do - think) but it makes the movie less accessible. Not an easy entertainment, but something truly unique at the same time.
8/10

Kick-Ass was the film I saw most recently in cinema. Before it started I more or less knew what to expect - a teenage comedy about the real-life superheroes - something like Juno meets Watchmen. By the end of the movie I already knew that what I got was a cross between Burton's Batmans, Pulp Fiction and Snatch. Which is a pretty powerful mix. The whole film is very violent, bloody, quite immoral and simply hilarious. I loved it. The biggest advantage of Kick-Ass over the recent (anti)super-hero movies is it's originality and 'freshness'. There are some unexpected plot-twists and the whole thing feels like it was an enormous amount of fun to make it. The film is very dynamic and somehow very genuine - you can really tell that everybody enjoyed being a part of it. Long story short - because of it's violence and a swearing 11-year old girl not everyone will dig it, but if you are a weirdo like myself, do not hesitate and watch it immediately.
8/10

Hi! Let me begin with my latest discovery. Werner Herzog's Rescue Dawn. This film has been lying on my shelf for a long while and I wasn't really very keen on watching it. Werner Herzog (the guy who recently makes slow-paced documentaries) and a war movie? This didn't add-up. Well, as you've probably guessed by now I was wrong. Very wrong. First of all, IT IS NOT A WAR FILM in a common meaning of the expression. It is a beautiful story of male friendship and sacrifice, although set in Laosian jungle (mostly in a POW camp) during the Vietnam war. The visuals are astonishing, the story is incredibly tense and gripping, everything told with warmth and humor. I can honestly recommend it to anybody. You won't be disappointed.
9/10