Stanislaus

There are countless films about Hercules and the Disney version of this famous story about the invincible strongman is undoubtedly one of the funniest. In terms of animation, it is a smart piece with many nice ideas and allusions to contemporary culture. Besides the action-fantasy scenes, Hercules is brimming with many funny moments, mainly provided by the incompetent sidekicks Hades, Pegasus and the satyr Phil. Hercules himself isn't all that remarkable, but it was funny to watch him brimming with enormous strength, but also shyness and trepidation when the murderously seductive Meg came along.

The Hunchback of Notre Dame refers in a kind and unobtrusive way to the old familiar saying of don't judge a book by its cover, or in this case don't judge others by their deformities or skin colour. In addition to the nicely delivered message of tolerance towards others, the film offers a story of all colours with a beautiful musical score and more than one humorous moment, especially provided by the gargoyles and the goat. Despite the demonic character of Frol and the darker ending, the film radiates an incredibly positive atmosphere that makes it an enjoyable watch.

Who doesn't know the classic tale of The Beauty and the Beast? I'm glad that after a long time I finally decided to watch the Disney adaptation, whose unmistakable charm persists even years after its premiere. At first glance, the rather simple story of two (seemingly quite) different individuals is presented in a very sweet and sincere way, complemented by a multitude of characters in the form of enchanted servants and enriched by an overwhelmingly pleasant musical score, which makes the film a wonderful experience, which, thanks to the boundless imagination of the animators, playfully resists the ravages of time.

I had kept the original Disney Cinderella "in the closet" for quite a long time and after watching it, I have to say that I was not that impressed. The animated Cinderella definitely appealed to me less than the live-action remake by Kennet Branagh or the legendary Czech version by Václav Vorlíček. I was surprised by the complete neglect of the prince, who has only a few lines and one major scene in this classic adaptation. The animals were cute, although I found them a bit annoying at the end (the mice), but they formed a bright counterpoint to the demonic Lady Tremaine, her silly daughters and the dastardly Lucifer. I think the scene with the Fairy Godmother and her chaotic spells amused me the most. P.S. It may sound strange, but it was only with this version that I realized that the iconic glass slipper was supposed to disappear together with the other enchanted items after midnight (right?!).

Catching up with the Disney classics when you are older has its advantages and disadvantages. You no longer look at the film through the eyes of a child, you do notice things that a young eye and mind will miss. Bambi offers a mostly simple story about the circle of life with all the good and not so good moments. From a carefree playful childhood with a bittersweet aftertaste (who doesn't know the sad fate of Bambi's mother?), to a "frumpy" misguided adolescence (with more than one "adult" reference that a young child won't understand), to responsible adulthood. In terms of animation, this is a solidly made timeless film – though I watched the remastered version – that appeals for its innocence and rawness at the same time.

I approached the live-action version of Mulan with a clean slate, so I decided ("for peace of mind") to watch the original film as well to have some comparison. Unlike the new Jungle Book and The Lion King, the live-action adaptation of Mulan is in many ways different from the animated original, which has its pros and cons. The film's comedic-fairytale line has been replaced, in a rather non-violent way, by a primarily war-drama-action dimension, and there are some changes in the cast of characters (here I very much appreciated the presence of the witch). The film offers some audiovisually impressive sequences (the avalanche or Mulan's encounter with the witch), while the plot is a bit more grounded and at times is too blatantly laced with feminist overtones. On the other hand, I appreciate the camera work and the pleasant musical score. Personally, I think the new Mulan definitely deserves a more favourable assessment.

Right after watching the live-action version of Mulan, I decided to broaden my horizons and watch the original animated film, which I had avoided for a long time. The original Mulan intrigued me above all with its story, which, although simple on the one hand, conveys a clear message, both about finding oneself and about equality between people regardless of their gender, timeless and still relevant themes. Apart from the more serious and action-war level, I also had a royal good time with Mulan, thanks to the huge contribution of the little dragon Mushu, whose wisecracks and poses were truly funny, while he was well supported by a cricket, a horse and a grandmother.

In The Blond One, Marco Berger follows similar narrative techniques as in his previous works, but in this case his film probably got to me the most in terms of plot. Berger is really excellent at building sexual tension from mere innuendo to pure physical action, and I personally think that in The Blond One he has gone the furthest in these waters. The only thing I would fault the film for is the somewhat longer running time, but I still enjoyed watching the slowly developing and, due to their differing outlooks on life, complicated relationship between the two men. The minimalist musical score and the mundane dialogue "about nothing and everything at the same time" added to the believability of the film.

The Band does not get old even on repeated viewings and every time it puts a smile on my face, which is of course (as always) due to Louis de Funès, who is perfect for the role of a caring and somewhat crazy choreographer taking care of his "kids". The captivating storytelling or the frantic tap-tapping or the memorable scenes like the "diet" dinner (and weigh-ins) are always guaranteed to entertain.

The New Mutants is labeled as a horror, sci-fi and action film, but after screening it, I have to conclude that almost none of the genre levels work as I would have liked and expected. The trailer had more of a scary and action atmosphere than the film itself, which is really a shame because there was a lot of potential and a touch of otherness to the other pieces from the X-Men universe. The characters and their abilities are interesting on the one hand, but somewhat threadbare, so that you don’t really feel compelled to root for them at all – the only character I was at least a little bit interested in was Illyana (and Lockheed and her demonic “smiley faces”). Even the proven hospital setting didn't work as well as it could or should have. My expectations were simply too high for The New Mutants.