Reviews by
Rebirth of a Childish Story
On a visual level, it’s hard to complain: the direction is confident, the atmosphere is genuinely captivating at times, and the cinematography does everything it can to keep your eyes glued to the screen. The dinosaurs are thoughtfully designed, with a clear attention to detail — at times, it feels like that alone was the main focus. The cast also delivers: Scarlett, Jonathan, and Mahershala feel natural in their roles and manage to carry scenes even when the script starts falling apart. But the film itself… feels too safe. The script comes off as overly simplistic, a bit childish, filled with convenient decisions and illogical moments that are hard to ignore. What really stands out is the characters’ underreactions — something genuinely dangerous happens, and they respond like they just spilled their coffee. It kills the tension almost instantly. In the end, it’s a fairly simple, sometimes even naive blockbuster that only engages in bursts — in those rare moments where the visuals and direction actually align. Beautiful? Yes. Thrilling? Sometimes. Deep? Not really.
At the Dawn of Justice
I truly love Pixar animated films for how they manage to be funny, heartfelt, and a little sad at the same time. Most importantly, they always carry a meaningful moral that helps shape a positive worldview for children. Hoppers is, in my opinion, one of Pixar’s best projects. It works wonderfully not only for kids but for adults as well. I highly recommend watching it.
Through clenched teeth
The long-awaited biopic about Michael Jackson has finally been released, and despite the crap from so-called critics, it didn’t affect my desire to go to the theater at all. And you don’t regret it for a second. Michael is a vibrant and engaging film that focuses on the first half of the artist’s life. The performances, direction, costume design, and overall scale deliver exactly the kind of grandeur a story like this deserves. Special thanks to John Branca, Antoine Fuqua, and Jaafar Jackson for such a heartfelt adaptation. I’m really looking forward to the second part.
Bot about Hamnet
From the very beginning, the decision to shift the focus away from William Shakespeare to his wife, Agnes, felt a bit unusual to me. Especially considering that the film is titled Hamnet, while in essence it is not really about the son or the great playwright, but about a woman through whose perspective we experience their life. However, this choice does not work against the film. In the end, it becomes a beautifully intimate story in which the scale of tragedy is measured in silence, pauses, and glances. Paul Mescal and Jessie Buckley deliver performances worthy of an Oscar. Their duet is truly remarkable. At times, the editing slightly faltered — particularly in the transitions to black screens — but this did not affect my overall impression. After Nomadland, it is clear that Chloé Zhao has reached a new level. The cinematography is painterly, the production design creates a space you want to linger in, and the music subtly accompanies the story without ever overwhelming it. And yet… the film falls just a tiny bit short of becoming my personal “masterpiece of the year.” Even so, it remains a strong, beautiful, and deeply dramatic piece of cinema.
Doubts upon Doubts
The film disguises itself as a comedy but quickly makes it clear that the humor is merely a vessel for a much darker story. Bugonia works as a reflection on conspiracy theories. It doesn’t so much answer questions as multiply them, forcing you to doubt everything—the characters, the events, and even your own conclusions. Teddy is particularly compelling to watch: in the second act, it feels like he has anticipated everything, yet it is precisely this confidence that becomes his weakness. The film is far from perfect and occasionally loses focus, but it still manages to hold your attention—if only to reach the end in hopes of finding an answer to its central question.
