Stanislaus

The creators of Swiss Army Man have taken the bizarre to a higher level and come up with the ultimate madness, where everything and everywhere is suddenly possible. I understand that given the year of release and the multiverse theme, the film can't escape comparisons to Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (and the MCU in general), but I personally saw Everything Everywhere All at Once as the most originally conceived family drama (f*cking ever), with the fantasy-action as well as the aforementioned relationship level playing comparable first fiddle. The handling of the multiverse definitely had its charms, and I liked its seemingly "cheesy" and intentionally absurd concept – be it the costumes and looks of Jobu Tupaki, the invocation of jumps between dimensions, and various other ideas. But, as I mentioned, equally important was the line with the problematic family relationships. It had depth and that multiverse feel thanks to the unconventional concept. Everything Everywhere All at Once is without an incredibly mad affair, very wild, almost incoherent in places, but I enjoyed this bizarre ride

Madagascar is a fountain of humorous lines that have basically become humanised, and although the film works best the first time, it can still entertain on repeat viewings. Of the central quartet, Melman, the owner of countless diseases, was by far the most entertaining, and I also liked the trio of lemurs, and of course the "penguin gang", who thankfully got more space in the following years. If you want to laugh sitting in the the couch, the colourful Madagascar is an ideal choice.

Wild Babies does not deny its targeted focus on the (youngest) audience, whether it is with the straightforwardly delivered narration or the minimum of downright naturalistic scenes from the food chain. Still, it manages to appeal the adult viewers as well, thanks to a number of beautiful shots from different parts of the world and some interesting facts from the animal kingdom (the dolphin's strategy of hunting on the shore stuck in my head in particular). All in all, three and a half stars, but since it was nice to watch, I'll give it a raise.

In many ways, The Royal Treatment reminded me unpleasantly much of almost any film adaptation of Rosamunde Pilcher's romance novels. There so many shots of white chalk cliffs on the coast! It also reminded me of Coming to America and, distantly, Legally Blonde (thanks, or rather because of the hairdresser characters). I mean, it's an incredibly bland rip-off with a dull script and poorly written characters. PS: Laura Marano is incredibly similar to Paz Vega when she was younger.

I often complain that romantic comedies are very formulaic, and Wedding Season is no exception in terms of story, but the the acting is so likeable way that you can forgive it for being so formulaic. The central couple has the requisite chemistry between them and were nice to watch, complemented by more or less goofy characters of parents, future brother-in-law, son-in-law or gossiping aunts. By the end, the film was pretty much sliding into Bollywood. A Netflix dose of saccharine for exactly one viewing!

Bored of "human" superheroes? Then put them on the back burner and hand over the reins to their no less super pets! That's how you could justify the idea of DC League of Super-Pets, which sought to reinvigorate the DC Universe with pets. The characters are, in keeping with the genre, bland to the core, so there are no surprises in that regard, and the same goes for the story. Nevertheless, it was nice to look at and the plot has drive, doesn’t lack action and it doesn’t forget the mandatory lessons. Young viewers will certainly be entertained, while older ones will appreciate a few more mature lines or references. PS: Merton rules!

Senior Year as a non-fantastic version of films like Big or 13 Going on 30. It has a likeable, albeit formulaic premise, that is tolerable, but it nevertheless flounders on a weak script. I didn't find the humour at all, and that's quite a problem with comedy. The film addresses some serious themes (LGBT, dream future vs bitter reality), but they are obscured by the lackluster execution. I liked Alicia Silverstone's cameo, while I had mixed feelings about Rebel Wilson. I also praise the soundtrack, even though it was basically a recycling of "oldies". Better two stars!

The Sea Beast is basically a variation on How to Train Your Dragon, with notes of Moby Dick, except that instead of flying creatures, the film focuses on underwater creatures and it follows the current multicultural trends, which is not distracting at all. From a technical point of view, the film is well done and there is a lot to enjoy – but this is not unique in today's animated films. It is quite unfortunate that it is basically a compilation of the aforementioned How to Train Your Dragon and Pirates of the Caribbean, but compared to them The Sea Creature lacks humour. While there’s a nice lesson in the ending (don't judge a book by its cover! + be critical of "fake news"!), there is also a sense of reprehensible untapped potential. The Sea Creature is gorgeous, but incredibly shallow despite the presence of the deep sea.

Bullet Train is indeed a brisk and bloody actioner that benefits from a solid premise and an excellent cast. The driving force of the whole film is of course Brad Pitt, brilliantly seconded by Brian Tyree Henry. If you like a narrative style with plenty of flashbacks, over-the-top action that takes liberties with the laws of physics (which would have been lost in Leitch's Deadpool 2), and at times unnecessarily chatty and self-absorbed characters, you will certainly enjoy this lightning-fast ride on the Shinkansen. Personally, I was at times bothered by the bombastic banter and the pushing of the (black) humour envelope, but otherwise I really enjoyed Bullet Train. Last but not least, I loved the hilarious cameos of several familiar faces. PS: was it my imagination, or did the film blatantly refers to Se7en in more than one scene?

In The Good Plumber, Tomáš Vorel portrays life in a village and its various inhabitants with all their pros and especially their cons quite credibly. Jakub Kohák probably did not have to prepare much for the leading role, because by his looks and speech he gives the impression of a village boor. Holidays by the pond, drinking, racist innuendos, domestic violence, dysfunctional family relationships - I think that more than one viewer will find themselves in these not entirely exaggerated scenes from the life of a (not) typical Czech.