gudaulin

A well-filmed psychological drama about dealing with one's past, parental and societal expectations, and social differences in the conservative society of the Southern states of the USA. It is superbly cast, and Paul Newman showcases an incredible amount of charisma, acting talent, and all the ingredients that have made him one of the greatest stars of American cinema. I was thinking it deserved 5 convincing stars until the last 15 minutes, starting from the premature dramatic climax in the form of a conflict at a burning barn, which concludes with a contrived and contextually unconvincing gesture of forgiveness leading to a typical American happy ending that undermines the previous effort. Overall impression: 80%.

When it was made, the film was received by Czech film critics with undisguised enthusiasm, seeing in it a breath of fresh air, and even a touch of worldliness, in an otherwise stale Czechoslovak film scene. Let's face it, compared to all those silly Czech films with their happiness and sadness, this can definitely be considered an Oscar-worthy affair, although unfortunately, it's more like a one-eyed king among the blind. The time period in which it was made is very apparent, as Czechoslovak cinema was just beginning to develop and Voskovec and Werich were only just finding their place on the silver screen. In both cases, especially with Voskovec, the theatrical style of the Liberated Theatre is still noticeable. Additionally, this film is a manifesto of the interwar left-wing avant-garde influenced by the Soviet model, and deeply immersed in the belief in the power of collectivism. Of course, the historical context is different from the construction works of the late 1940s and early 1950s, and the creators of the film received praise from the liberal bourgeois press, but still, that genuine naivety feels somewhat unpleasant to me. I disagree with those who claim that the film satirizes left-wing ideals, as that critical distance is missing, partly because the film was made before the Moscow Trials and there was no reason to doubt. The apparent caricature is rather a consequence of the unintentional mishandling of individual motifs. It was meant to be a social critique, but you cannot make a full-fledged adversary to Voskovec and Werich out of a trembling wheelchair user who represents a powerful factory boss and who also awkwardly overacts. Werich, as a typical representative of left-wing ideological orientation on the silver screen, portrayed his ideals much more convincingly in The Emperor's Baker - The Baker's Emperor a few years later. Overall impression: 55%.

Believe it or not, this is the first film I've seen with the legendary master of one expression, Chuck Norris. I was hesitating whether to sacrifice that time, but if I hadn't watched it, my image of the film industry would have been deprived of one dimension. True, I didn't expect to see a clever and cultured spectacle, but I was hoping to have more fun with unintentional humor, cheesy nonsense, and the inability to pry out even a hint of acting prowess from the desperate cast. Well, that didn't happen, although Christopher Neame, in the role of the devil's servant Prosatanos, overacts to the best of his abilities and provides some distraction from the overall boredom. Unfortunately, it's not enough to give it even a single star. Overall impression: 10%.

This sequel isn't as consistent as the original, but it certainly doesn't lack creativity and atmosphere. Some scenes were even more impressive than in the first film, so despite some weaker moments in the second half, I'll still give it a 75% overall impression, just like the original. It's once again an older, but classic horror spectacle.

Hellboy is quite likable, but not particularly outstanding, and it suffers from an undeveloped script and a weak finale. The undeveloped script, in this case, means that the evil is too feeble and incompetent, and the heroes don't exert themselves much in their struggle, leaving the audience wanting. On the other hand, the casting is appealing, with Ron Perlman fitting perfectly into the role of the demon just by his appearance (it seems they could have partially saved on a makeup artist), and Karel Roden evidently enjoying his portrayal of Rasputin. Some props and sets are visually interesting. It's slightly above average, leading to a 60% overall impression.

From today's perspective, Hellraiser's effects might be criticized as weaker, but they were of good quality for their time. The concept and execution are commendable, and in terms of direction and acting, this film belongs in the horror hall of fame. Overall impression: 70%. It's a shame that the idea was diluted in later sequels, which squeezed out from the theme even what wasn't there.

If the producers had had the sense to prioritize quality over profit, they would have stopped after the first two installments, and viewers would have been spared disappointment. But that's never how the film industry has worked, and it never will. The third installment lacks the quality script and atmosphere of the previous parts, instead adding more violence and a faster pace. Unlike the later installments, it's not a complete disaster, but it won't appeal to connoisseurs. However, those satisfied with devilish props might be pleased. There are plenty of cubes and demons to enjoy. Overall impression: 45%.

The first few minutes of the film pretend to be a dark comedy about "how one unlucky day ruins a successful career." Then, for several dozen minutes, the film falls into long boring dialogues and the self-pity of the main character, only to have a crucial and, I must say, unexpected twist twenty minutes before the end, which redirects Rouse's film into a completely different genre, increases the pace sharply, and raises the overall level, partly because in the light of that twist, the viewer must reassess the previous events and thus they appear more interesting in retrospect. But then comes another twist, which, although not crucial anymore, is daring and exceptional for this genre. And immediately a third twist, which turns the end of the film into mere flashy nonsense and a favorite exercise of Hollywood screenwriters on the theme of "how many shocking twists can I fit into one film to leave the audience stunned?" That third twist contradicts the previous dialogues and scenes. So, all in all, I consider two stars adequate for a film that has problems with uneven pace and logic. Overall impression: 45%.

Aldrich's film breaks away from the usual template of war films from the 1950s, where on one side stands the victorious army with ideals and a mission, and on the other side is evil in the form of a criminal enemy that must be defeated and punished. In this case, the enemy is hiding within their ranks, in the form of an inept cowardly officer in the American army, who, with his approach, causes the death of many soldiers in his unit. Thematically, it's very interesting, but the execution is worse, and it doesn't avoid the typical American moralistic approach and pathos, especially at the end. The characters are divided according to black-and-white stereotypes, and it must be absolutely clear to the viewer on whose side the truth stands, and for their judgment to be unequivocal, the anti-hero is portrayed one-dimensionally. Such a crystal clear cowardly hysterical inept and treacherous character does not exist in reality, or rather, exists just as often as his opponent - the hero, who tears out his crushed hand trapped under a tank track and fearlessly goes to fulfill his mission despite having mortal injuries. The film's outcome is distinctly detrimental and unbelievably and pathetically positive, which goes against the down-to-earth reality of war and the decision-making and execution mechanisms of the army's justice. Overall impression: 60%.

Hemlock, as is typical for this type of short animation, cannot rely on a plot, because four minutes of runtime simply do not provide enough space for it. Instead, it focuses on atmosphere and style. Hemlock draws inspiration from urban legends and is influenced by clock-punk. The animation is of high quality, with tension and an albeit predictable, but effective twist. This type of short film is made to showcase its creator and serve as a stepping stone for obtaining larger projects, as well as a starting point for a career in animation. Overall impression: 70%.