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Reviews
Battlefield Earth (2000)
Surprisingly fair
I'm quite astonished that this film is considered the worst one in the history of humanity by many. Certainly it wasn't a masterpiece, however it was quite entertaining and the background of a plot (picture of Earth conquered by an aggressive superior race) seemed quite interesting for me. I was not bored while watching it. There are many other films, that were praised and that deserve more such fierce criticism than this one.
Silence (2016)
not one-sided
Great film. What I like the most about it, was the fact, that the behavior of Japanese authorities made me to think intensely and despite it was cruel and disgusting, it had much of logical background in it. The only disadvantage of the movie is the ending - if it would finish 10 seconds earlier, leaving some field of suspecting for the viewer, that would be full score.
The Town That Dreaded Sundown (2014)
Not worth your time.
This film is not a remake, but sequel. The action takes place in modern times and there is another wave of killings in Texarkana. However plenty of scenes and characters are simply copied from the movie of 1976. In general - the film was boring, predictable, characters were artificial (especially terrible "Lone Wolf" - why the same nickname?). Not worth your time.
Popiól i diament (1958)
Difficult transposition of a harmful book
Andrzejewski's book was a tool of the communist propaganda, harmful and deceiving. Wajda's film was more temperate. Made in difficult times of hard state censorship it managed somehow to smuggle a picture of how complicated was the reality in Poland just after Second World War. Comparing to the book, the plot is a bit reduced, one important thread is discarded (of an advocate who returned from German camp, and he was outed by his time companion, Szczuka - communist activist targeted for assassination - as a former kapo).
The summary of the film on this site is misleading. It is not a film about fight of former partisan fellow-men. It is a film about a choice, whether to remain in conspiracy and fight new regime or to go out from underground and start normal living, as only it is possible.
For sure the film is more valuable than a book. Might be watched, although might be also hard to understand by a non-Poles.
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close (2011)
It is not about 9/11
I think the key to a proper reception of the film is noticing, that it is not only about 9/11, and maybe mostly not about it. Instead of 9/11 any disaster that took life of boy's father could be pictured here. It would be only a background. The film is about something else (hard to choose one word to describe it, but most appropriate for me would be "the search"). Many negative reviews about the movie seem to be a result of that narrow way of seeing it. Also, boy's precise talk is not artificial - it might be a symptom of some form of Asperger syndrome, linked with his other behaviors.
The film is moving and cleansing. Also, it is exciting - the search going further and further makes the outcome much desired. Worth watching.
Dark Country (2009)
Quite intriguing
Plot wasn't the strongest side of that movie. In fact, there was few of it. However background and setting where quite intriguing.
Night landscapes of the desert, impressive starry skies and mysterious lights behind the scenes were absorbing my attention and didn't let me get bored, despite late night time when I watched the film. Also old cars were adding some of the flavor.
As for the story itself, it was not much complicated, and quite predictable, so that can be counted as a disadvantage. It was mainly played by two actors who did quite well.
Not a great movie, but still worth watching.
Holy Smoke (1999)
Huge disappointment
I was expecting something about film with Keitel, whom I like, but I was really disappointed.
The picture itself is primitive and distasteful, very obvious all the time and without any moment, that would surprise me. At the end, I was hoping 4 or 5 times that it will finish. Yet, another and another hopeless scene was coming, making me more and more tired and angered. I was not sure if this movie was designed as a drama or as a comedy - there were a few moments with weird cartoon like inserts, that made things worse. The characters were simple, one dimensional.
It was one of the worst films I have ever seen.