“She Said” by Maria Schrader (2022)

This is a powerful account of two New York Times reporters unveiling decades of Harvey Weinstein’s sexual harassment of young women.

Two female journalists fight the system of settlements and NDA’s to confirm allegations that have been around for several years. The struggle is immense – the brick wall of silence almost impenetrable. Almost.
Based on the book written by the two journalists, documenting their hard work to get to the bottom of what later became the #MeToo movement.

“The Zone of Interest” by Jonathan Glazer (2023)

Jonathan Glazer – is the man behind “Sexy Beast” made in the year 2000. I would never have guessed after that film to be watching such an extremely different topic in the hands of the same man.

“The Zone of Interest” shows a seemingly normal life – I should say behind, but no, it is actually in front of the walls of the concentration camp in Auschwitz.

The camp chief, Rudolf Hoss, has a villa to host him and his large family literally in front of the wall of the Auschwitz concentration camp. What we see, is family life. Life that is completely oblivious to what is happening literally a few metres away.

I am not actually sure, how transparent the message is to those, who are unfamiliar with what was going on behind the wall. But, to those of us who know, the film is extremely powerful in its depiction of life next to death.

Acting, cinematography, sound effects, all make for a work of art and a historical image that is hard to forget or ignore. I recommend, although it is not an easy watch.

“Barbie” by Greta Gerwig (2023)

The crew clearly had a lot of fun making it. Filled with filmic references and pop to the bone.

“Barbie” is a visual pleasure without hurting the eye. The pinkiness is justified, all the Kens and Barbies are credible characters within the genre.

It is a good watch, although I do have some doubts. This film is not perfect and perhaps introduces too many random elements (i.e. some extra choreography for the Kens) but all in all it works well. I recommend for the film buffs and pop culture lovers such as myself.

Les Cyclades by Marc Fitoussi (2022)

It is a lovely ‘feel good’ summer film. Laure Calamy is an absolute star, able to transform through drama to comedy without one bit of artificial.

Guest starring is Kristin Scott Thomas whom I always like to watch.

Set in lovely blue on blue Greek islands with the summer breeze and the sunshine we sometimes long during long winter evenings. This film makes you want to both call your highschool best friend and book a trip to Greece. It is not some silly comedy. There is some deeper meaning and for that, for the fantastic acting of Laure Calamy and for the breath of Greek air – definitely worth your while.

Sophie Hyde’s “Good luck, Leo Grande” (2022)

Emma Thompson as an aging [former?] teacher seeking a new launch to her life.

Intimate courageous film on fear and loneliness. Well shot, lit and does indeed remind us of Covid isolation. But this is not about Covid. This is about the invisible women who are not that old, whose children are off and independent, who feel they lost something in the rush of the last 30 odd years.

Strong, powerful and does not pretend to be positioned in a timeless era. It is in the here and now with mobile phones going off at the least appropriate moments.

A big recommend from me. Go watch it!

L’Indivision by Mélanie Delloye (2021)

Family drama. Pretty cathartic.

The story is set inside a large house with its own lonely inhabitant – elderly gentleman, father of the family. His children want to convince him to sell the house. He opposes.

As the plot unravels, we learn the family secrets and reasoning behind particular characters.

Well written and acted, with claustrophobic camera eye.

Watch it if you are into enclosed drama set out on the people’s faces.

“The Morning Show” (TV Series/Apple TV)

Wow.
What I anticipated was not at all what I received.
I was expecting a feel-good series on the backstage of a morning show (something more like Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip back in the day). I hugely underestimated this in advance.

The pilot was not an earthquake rather leaving me curious as to what will the pulse be later on.

Mark Duplass as an executive producer, Billy Crudup in an incredibly well played supporting role, and both stars – Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon form an ensemble cast that gives a powerful statement from the very start.

This is not some feel-good TV series about n’importe quoi. It is a strong voice in midst of the #metoo movement with bold statements coming from male opressors/predators in surprising attempts at victimising themselves and how women learn to stand against that by controlling the narrative.

The Morning Show sucked me in and I am so grateful to the show producers and creators that they have had the courage to make it.

It is incredibly well written and fantastically executed; the dialogues are to the point and it is a cathartic experience all in all. A strong recommend!

Season 2 is coming soon.

“The Mire” (Rojst) by Jan Holoubek / Netflix

Two seasons – the first one is set in 1980’s, the second one in 1997 / more or less 12 years after the first season’s finale ends.
The story is set in an unspecified little town in Western Poland with troubled history.

Andrzej Seweryn plays an experienced journalist on his way out – we learn from the very beginning he has a plan to go West – to West Berlin, in those times the refuge of normalcy behind the Iron Curtain. Conveniently, there is an eager young replacement sent from Kraków.
It is a classic old:young juxtaposition and master:pupil relationship. The script is written in accordance with all the classic rules, the actors are well cast, the stories unfold slowly with each episode drawing us in.

This series has a number of strong suits: one of them is the casting of supporting roles, another a detailed depiction of communist Poland daily reality – similarly to Mad Men, the authors managed to recreate a place in time with almost no mistakes (*there is one minor thing related to what children wear at school, if you went to Polish school in the 1980’s, you will know).

Characters are subtle and distinctive at the same time, the editor-in-chief is like a warm beloved grandpa, until you cross him and then you are in trouble. The night clubs are so sticky and filled with cigarette smoke, you can almost touch it and smell it. It is the underworld of corrupt police (in the 1980’s it was a politicised milicja – derivative of military and police – a communist thing), honest prostitutes and helpful local businessmen.
The crimes are dark, the truth is even darker and the town is surrounded by a mysterious swamp that hides a lot.

Although it did not get a lot of stars at imdb, it is a strong recommend from my side.

Andrzej Seweryn acts seamlessly becoming the character of the savvy puppet master who knows way more than he reveals, till the last second. The suspense is not eating you, you just have to watch it all at once.

“The One I Love” by Charlie McDowell (2014)

Mark Duplass and Elisabeth Moss are a young couple on the crossroads who attend a therapy. Their shrink advises them a retreat in a house at an unspecified location.

They reluctantly agree and part for a short trip to a beautiful faraway location where they deal with each other, each other’s expectations and fears.

What they go through and the way things go, is the most significant strength of this feature film.

It makes one think for a long time afterwards on what exactly happened there.

Smooth acting, improvised dialogues provide an artsy experience that is less literal and more emotional than one would expect.

A recommend.

“Normal People” – BBC TV series by Lenny Abrahamson / Hettie Macdonald (2020)

Based on a novel recommended by (among others) Barack Obama. The novel is written by Sally Rooney.

Set in Ireland – the story follows an on-off relationship of a young couple. They know one another from school, then both (separately) move to Dublin to study at Trinity.

It is a love story of an impossible kind. Feast for the eyes. Little bits of nudity and a fair amount of passion. Relationships with peers, parents, siblings and the outside world.

Told in very few words. The camera eye is often a third actor – e.g. during one and the same conversation of the two over a cup of coffee sitting at opposite sides – Marianne is shot from a distance, while Connell gets a very close camera angle. This distance changes as the conversation shifts. Crafty!

Melancholic, as Ireland landscape provides the background for tumultuous events. There is cold Sweden and hot Italy too.

Recommend!