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Yves Angelo cannot deny his original profession as a cameraman and the whole film is characterized by beautiful compositions, whether it be a battlefield, the streets of old Paris, or the interiors of old bourgeois houses. Just the opening nearly eight-minute scene of a field covered in corpses with the moaning of wounded soldiers, exhausted faces with strained features who have just survived their deaths, is a perfect example of the chaos of war. Even though this is not a war film but rather a historical drama with a romantic motif, very few war films can provide such a suggestive depiction of military craft. The film has an outstanding cast, with Gérard Depardieu showing why he became a star and an acting legend, and his animalistic officer, who grew up in poor conditions only to return to them after a catastrophic turn of events, is incredibly convincing. Fanny Ardant, on the other hand, plays a beautiful bitch who knows how to use her charms, intelligence, and social status to achieve her goals. And among them, Fabrice Luchini is an exceptional lawyer, who seemingly cannot be surprised by anything anymore yet is shocked by the fascinating life story with an improbable twist. This is how I imagine an adaptation of a literary classic. A lavish film that does not drown in and does not attempt to shock with special effects but focuses on the story and portrayal of the setting. Overall impression: 90%.

This could also be called The Chronicle of a Foretold Death. The city as a corpse, prosperity for murder. A wealthy businesswoman carries out an interesting social experiment. Will the residents of a provincial town be willing to execute one of their own for a billion crowns? She herself has no doubts about it at all, and as she remarks to her staff, she certainly won't stay in the local hotel for long. Friedrich Dürrenmatt agrees with her, and the initial situation is the basis for a lot of biting sarcasm and plenty of dark humor. In the 1990s, Zdeněk Zelenka still drew from the treasure trove of the very best that world literature and theater offered, so his television productions of that time had undeniable value. Especially when he could rely on the top actors of the time. Jiřina Bohdalová plays her Nemesis and a woman who has long been accustomed to manipulating and ordering without restrictions reliably, but the fascinating performances come primarily from Alois Švehlík, František Němec, and others. And in the miniature of the weary woman from the neighborhood, Simona Stašová proves that there are no small roles. Overall impression: 80%.

Nocturne indien is a typical film that plays on your feelings and one that you should avoid if you care about a strong story and characters and an effective plot. In the end, it doesn't matter if the Frenchman was looking for his friend or his lost shadow. Sometimes the journey can be the destination, and here we have an interesting road movie through Indian cities and transportation routes. In one of the scenes, a fellow traveler vividly describes the beauties of Madras and all the tourist destinations, and then the protagonist finally asks him how he usually travels there. The answer is that he has not been there yet, but it is not important to be in direct contact to become knowledgeable. However, Nocturne indien conveys that personal contact with a foreign culture and environment is very important and that some experiences are not transferable. In the film, the camera plays an important, essentially dominant role, capturing the poverty of slums, and the depressing environment of the metropolitan hospital, dormitories, and luxury hotels. If the opinion is right claiming that people seek out the exotic on their vacations, meaning that nothing works properly in those countries, then India is probably an ideal destination for such travel. Nocturne indien is a slow film that you need to be able to tune into and you need to be rested. Overall impression: 60%.

Although it may seem absurd, I was reminded of Prometheus by Ridley Scott in connection with Luna just a while ago. Both films of course belong to completely different genres, and the directors use different methods and want to appeal to different audiences, but the result is somehow equally poor compared to their potential, budget, and the director's name. Similar is the reaction of a significant part of film fans who seek and find something different in the film than what is actually there. Bernardo Bertolucci is, of course, too good a filmmaker for there to be no interesting image or scene in his film, but compared to what the exteriors and the actors he had at his disposal offered, it is a painful failure. However, the main problem remains the poor motivation and psychology of the characters, the unbelievable plot, the idiotic behavior of the (anti)heroes, and the overall screenplay. This psychological drama somehow fits into the atmosphere of the 70s and the category of films for art-house audiences. The controversy of the sexual relationship between a mother and a son, in my opinion, has already been exhausted, but this only brings out the shortcomings of the screenplay even more. Overall impression: 25%.

The first shot, the first look at Renée, and the first shock. I know very well that there is a considerable group of film viewers who do not particularly like this actress and tend to consider her an unfortunate combination of bad genes, poor parenting, and an uncontrollable desire for media success. I belong to the second group, which, on the other hand, appreciates her uniqueness, special charm, and the significant dose of acting talent she has. Suddenly, however, it seems like Renée has lost her flair, her face puffs up like a frog defending itself against a predator, and she seems to have aged a few years. That is an unpleasant realization when you realize that there are only a few months between you and her date of birth. I wanted to check myself in the mirror to see how many gray hairs and age spots I have gained when I realized that Zellweger has simply succumbed to the same temptation that ruined Daryl Hannah's or Lara Flynn Boyle's appearance and made Michael Jackson more visible. That is, the desire for perfection through the care of plastic surgeons. For Renée, this classically styled romantic comedy about the desire for a new partner is worthwhile, so you definitely won't miss out on her pouted lips and the smile of an overripe cherub. Feminists probably wouldn't be pleased with the attitudes of her character, who can't imagine any other career than being a professional wife and finding the meaning of life in taking care of her children. The quality of the production is slightly above average, but otherwise completely typical Hollywood consumer goods, which, considering the target audience focused on Zellweger's peers, is somewhat more cultured and settled than is usual in comedies aimed at teenagers. Overall impression: 60%.

I have to admit that I enjoyed Corbiau's film The King Is Dancing a lot more, both in terms of my tastes and mood. While Farinelli is able to offer the elegance of aristocrats in period costumes, the baroque splendor of palaces, and the luxury of residences from that time, it somehow fails to offer a captivating story worthy of Forman's Amadeus. It's more of a case of aesthetic boredom that longs for some festival excitement. Fans of classical music and opera singing may give it an extra star, but I must once again mention Amadeus which managed to present classical music to today's audience much more effectively. Overall impression: 50%.

This is the second time I have seen this Scorsese film, as I couldn't endure it all the way to the end the first time due to its length and my lack of interest, and I was missing about 40 minutes to settle the score with The Aviator. I was able to erase it from my memory practically perfectly in record time, and that already proves that this time Martin and I didn't see eye to eye. Honestly, it's probably the film I most could not get into from this famous American filmmaker in the last two decades. While his recent films managed to impress me, The Aviator only bored and disinterested me. Despite being undoubtedly a blockbuster with everything that belongs to it - a multitude of stars, a high budget, a script overflowing with ambition, and a charismatic hero - something doesn't work in it, and it's not just because the theme didn't appeal to me. Scorsese describes his hero in a way that is very different from the reality that could resemble how Costa Gavras settles accounts with capitalism in his film Capital. The real Howard Hughes was such a scoundrel that even Belfort, the main character of The Wolf of Wall Street could be considered a good buddy from Sunday school and Mother Teresa's secretary. Even an American like Leacock noticed the typical characteristic of Americans - admiring successful people regardless of how they came to wealth and how they handled it and made fun of it in his book "Literary Lapses." In the United States, Howard Hughes is considered a legend, even though his real behavior, actions, and impacts were very problematic. In the movie, there is one scene where Howard is visiting Katharine Hepburn's family, which represents that typical inward-looking snobbish liberal society that drowns in wealth while prattling about socialism. When the lady of the house says that they never talk about money in their house, Howard responds, "That's because you have plenty of it." Howard Hughes was the last person who could pass any judgments. He inherited the money and then enjoyed it and lived the typical life of a playboy and celebrity. He treated his employees thoughtlessly, manipulated, blackmailed and lobbied in the worst imaginable way, which meant nothing other than mass corruption. Even his illness is highly debatable; in the 1940s, he certainly didn't suffer from any mental illness, and, typically, he was able to manage his companies so skillfully until the end of his life that he never paid a penny in taxes while being one of the five richest people on this planet. I'll give it three stars thanks to several great scenes, such as the crash of the airplane and its impressive flight through a residential area, where Scorsese presents himself in the best possible form. But it's just barely three stars... Overall impression: 50%.

I am hesitating a lot with my review. On one hand, it is a strong topic and there are many interesting memories of witnesses. Yet I prefer when the voice of professional historians with analytical comments prevails and the narrator's voice conveys facts, rather than watching the memories of witnesses that no one corrects. That can ultimately make a Ustasha member shed tears over how he heroically defended Croatian independence in Jasenovac. Also, that emotional coloring, when, for example, a contemplative Ukrainian melody is played at the end, shifts toward understanding the Ukrainian national issue. Much more attention could have been devoted to the dark side of Ukrainian nationalism because, among the nationalisms of Eastern Europe, their brutality clearly surpassed other separatist national aspirations and was quite militantly directed toward Jews, for example. One could recall the brutal cleansing in Lviv even before the arrival of the German army, and elsewhere, where merciless massacres took place. It is interesting that Solzhenitsyn, in his book "The Gulag Archipelago," is very critical of Soviet power, but while he has a significant understanding of the cause of the Vlasovites, he has only words of harsh condemnation for the Bandera supporters and considers them the worst bunch to have ever ended up in NKVD camps. Overall impression: 70%.

Monster Bug Wars! cannot hide that it is intended for the market of commercial television and the film lacks public sobriety and scientific objectivity. It wants to entertain, to attract attention, and sometimes it wants to shock. It is typical to use expressions and comparisons that are true for the human world, sometimes even with humorous aids such as a bugle that gathers ants for war against the enemy. But despite all this, I am giving this film the highest number of stars in the end because it represents an attractive trip into the world of miniature predators, it features top-notch cameras, and despite the above, it can convey a lot of interesting information. In addition, the presentation is truly popular, so the circle of interested viewers does not have to be limited to entomology enthusiasts. The series does not only deal with the insect kingdom, as the title may suggest, but with all miniature creatures belonging to the realm of invertebrates. The viewer is a witness to battles between spiders, scorpions, ants, and other predators of the microcosm. Overall impression: 90%.

The defense's challenge to the defendants: admit your guilt, and show remorse, and the judge will be lenient toward you, and you will receive a minimum sentence, about 40 years without parole. A different country, different customs, and different criminal code. Two Czech boys learned that when they received 50 years in prison. In Europe and the States, there are legends about the Thai justice system, but it cannot be said that draconian punishments can truly reduce crime and limit drug trafficking. Thanks to the testimony of one Czech prisoner, who was able to return home, we have a fairly good idea of how things work in Bangkok with foreign inmates. Both the girls in the film had it somewhat easier, like movie heroines, because the United States managed to negotiate special conditions for their convicted citizens - much to the outrage of other foreign prisoners. Although it is a solidly acted thriller, it is nowhere near the top rankings of its genre, as it lacks a quality direction and screenplay, and essentially represents only a better average. Jonathan Kaplan tries to spice up his film with uncertainty about the level of guilt of his characters, who naturally play the usual game of the accused and convicted, claiming a judicial error or conspiracy. However, only having one truly excellent scene at the end does not make it an exceptional drama. The most interesting aspect of Kaplan's film is probably the presence of then-emerging stars of the television screen and the silver screen, Claire Danes and Kate Beckinsale. Overall impression: 65%.