Stanislaus

Viktor Tauš's Girl American is unparalleled in modern domestic cinema, both in terms of visual, and also from the narrative point of view (it’s like a surrealistic take at Requiem for a Maiden). In its approach to camera and sets, the film often reminded me of the work of Michel Gondry (and even a bit of Wes Anderson), and I really enjoyed the impressively designed and colourful scenes set in a children's home and "sandbox". I found some of the dialogue clunky here and there, especially from the child actors, but that's understandable. I was, however, pretty happy with the adult (seasoned) actors. The young Klara Kitto, however, was absolutely phenomenal! Aside from that, I really liked the soundtrack, which added to the film's dreamy and at times rather brooding atmosphere. Girl American definitely deserves to be seen on the big screen.

The Wild Robot is an audiovisually captivating story about the unlikely motherly relationship between a robot and a gosling that manages to amaze, amuse and move for a hundred minutes. Chris Sanders' film blatantly targets our emotions, no question about it, but it does it in an unobtrusive and poignant way. I was hooked and reeled in by this parenting odyssey that truly warms your heart. A cunning and sharp-tongued fox and a seasoned mother sow provided the biggest portion of entertainment. The film doesn't forget to be didactic, and offers many endearing lessons and morsels of wisdom that will resonate with young and adult viewers alike - whether it be "don't judge a book by its cover," the importance of family bonds, or an upraised index finger to (disembodied and disempowering) technology. I emphatically give both thumbs up.

I was curious to see Yorgos Lanthimos' next film after the brilliant Poor Things, but I was also I was a little worried because of the running time and the relatively short gap between both films. The short story structure can lend a layered and complex feel to films, and it's a shame that Kinds of Kindnesses didn't rely more on the interweaving of the stories, and rather focused on shocking the viewer in an blatant way. Each of the stories had an engaging premise, but due to the overlong running time, I struggled to properly enjoy the film as a whole. This menu of three bizarre courses sat with my average impression, which is a shame given the initial ingredients.