POMO

The potential for fun is utilized to the maximum in 2012. The individual scenes are clichés, but as a whole they take the story through not entirely predictable paths and give us more than we’ve seen in the trailers. I didn’t feel for a moment that the movie tries to look more serious than it should – Roland Emmerich is surprisingly able to balance every absurdity with an adequate dose of humor (the ride through L.A. in a limousine that, among other things, gets splashed by the contents of a gully sucker, is a pure comedy that has no place in a disaster movie), but he’s also able to impress (amazing tidal waves). But what most surprised me about 2012 and made me give it four stars (and no, it wasn’t the special effects, which were mediocre in places, and definitely not the cheap digital-camera look that we might have to get used to even with big-budget eye-candy movies) is the political approach: the least ethical figure in the film is the US government big shot, the rich are criticized for saving their necks at the expense of the workers, and this time the world’s salvation is not the American flag, but a full-screen map with the word “CHINA” written on it. The American flag is rather ridiculed thanks to the comical character played by Woody Harrelson (in a great scene on a hill with a valley view). And every big nation/continent is represented by either an aptly written and cast supporting character (the Russian family of three and their dog are my favorites) or at least symbolically mentioned (Africa...). 2012 is a blockbuster disaster flick that is so audience-friendly that it, together with its high entertaining value, managed to worm its way into my heart. And I don’t give a crap that Mona Lisa is overlooking the Eiffel Tower from the Louvre in the film. ___ Second viewing: I wish Emmerich was a big shot politician – then there’d be no wars and everyone would just amicably hold each other’s hand (and go to the movies). This movie is just overflowing with his love for old Hollywood adventure/disaster flicks. The ultimate guilty pleasure.

This Is It is just painfully long bonus crap to a non-existent DVD with a non-existent concert, promoted as an amazing feature-length backstage/concert experience. Michael Jackson was a great musician and a brilliant dancer, but this is a semi-finished product that has no frame or shape.

This trio of very nice documentaries maps the discovery of the Galapagos, the distinctive nature of some of the islands and the uniqueness of the animals that live there (and some even ONLY there!). It is a pity that the themes of the three episodes overlap and some shots and parts of the accompanying commentary are even repeated. Conceptually, it would be more sensible to focus on different things in each episode. The DVDs come in a great box made of sturdy paper, which evokes a beautiful book more than mere DVD packaging and deserves special mention.

This drama about clean and corrupt cops is surprisingly bland, especially considering the potential of its cast. Colin Farrell and Noah Emmerich are excellent, while Edward Norton’s performance is less distinctive, but the important thing is that they are unnecessary. It’s as if their director had no energy or clear vision, not knowing where to push and where to pull back. It seems like he made this film without concentration or interest, as a form of punishment. In terms of content, it is very similar to, but a much worse than, the recent We Own the Night.

To cast Adrien Brody and Mark Ruffalo as brothers is a casting faux pas. And let’s not even mention the fact that neither of these gentlemen is ideal for comedy. Rachel Weisz salvages a lot, giving the film some necessary freshness. The movie has a setting like that of the charismatic crime flick Entrapment, and an image of the “hat” madness of 1998’s The Avengers. It’s not as clever and ahead of the audience as it would like to be, but that’s alright because it doesn’t take itself all that seriously. The Brothers Bloom is another forgettable chill-out movie in which I wouldn’t invest if I were a producer.

Two star actors, Queen’s music and beautiful Scottish scenery make for a dated – from today’s point of view – but still nice adventure. The datedness is caused mainly by the trashy script, which works only with hints and symbols, but doesn’t use the subject matter in depth. Highlander is very attractively made brainless entertainment for the 1980s mainstream audience.

This film has undeniable political significance. But because of its bland screenwriting and filmmaking, it’s not a movie I would look for as a film viewer. Even a sad drama can contain original ideas and uniqueness if the creators want it to.

Shake It is an amusing, sincere and incredibly light rendering of dramatic relationship tangles, shrouded in a surprisingly not annoying or intrusive sexual liberality. It’s another one of those very nice Scandinavian movies that astonish me with how much passion and raw emotion are hidden behind the seemingly cool exterior of those “cold” people. And Mads Mikkelsen is a truly excellent actor, able to convey any kind of emotion in a believable manner.

This mix of crazy comedy, eroticism and hard-to-define scenes surprisingly makes sense as a whole and, above all, has a great “anti-romantic” climax.

Juraj Nvota might be the best Slovak director of today. He has a knack for character portrayal and casting the right actors; he’s able to create a pleasant film atmosphere with image and sound and capture the period in which the story takes place. Too bad that this film is just pleasant, as it doesn’t have a real story...