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Departure (Odjazd)(1991) Director: Magdalena Lazarkiewicz;"Departure" (Odjadz) is movie about the relationship between an older woman and her mother who both live in an old age home. Both of the women have German roots and live in Poland, so the other people who live in the home are not so fond of them. As the women recall their past, we get to see their lives during World War II. I liked how the film shows more than one side of the story. One the one hand, the two German women experience prejudice in the present time by the Poles; and on the other hand we get to see how Germans, but not necessarily these two women, expressed prejudice to the Poles in the past. In a sense, we get to see what made both sides bitter to each other. I have to give the film credit for presenting the past in an interesting way. First, it is not all done at once, but mixed with present time. Therefore, we only slowly figure out what happened. Second, the flashbacks are not purely their memories, as we get to see what happens before and after their direct experiences. In this sense, we get to experience many points of view, and not just their own. Overall, I did find "Departure" sad. After all, reminisces of a lost love, a child who died, and younger years are not things to put one in a chipper mood. Because the story is also about a mother who controls her daughter on a subtle level, it added to the unhappiness. We can all probably think of an example of a parent who uses their child and does not let them grow up, and how this really is a sad situation. "Departure" is a reflective drama that just may get you to reminisce a little on your own life. As the film is about a mother and daughter, it may appeal most to women. |
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Kuchnia Polska(1991) Director: Jacek Bromski;While some movies give away the plot with its title, others are much more vague and less revealing. Jacek Bromski's 1991 film Kuchnia Polska has nothing to do with cooking, unless taken in a very figurative and metaphorical way. The story begins with Polish soldiers of the Second Republic of Poland returning home from England after the war. For those of us who know our history, we know that the Russians recruited Poles into the Red Army to fight the Germans, but the original army of Poland largely regrouped and fought to defend France and then England. Only true patriots with a very strong character could stand to live in country that was dominated by the totalitarian "progress" called communism. Kuchnia Polska was made just a couple years after the fall of communism in Poland, as this story would never have been allowed to be told under Soviet occupation. Our aviation hero Stanislaw Szymanko (Marek Kondrat) returns to Poland with his English wife Margaret (Krystyna Janda). There really isn't much of a welcome, but at least he isn't sent to Siberia. Due to bad luck, Stanislaw gets arrested by the secret Police and they torture him into confessing that he is a spy, a common paranoia felt about returning patriots. From here, we get to see what it is like living in a society without free speech; a society in which the police state rules with an iron fist; a society in which corruption and bribes are the only way someone can work with the system that is so bureaucratic. Margaret is faced with a situation that truly appears insane. Getting information on what happened to her husband is difficult enough, let alone seeing to his release. She goes to great ends to try to work with the officials and the kangaroo court to free her husband, but it is no use. She resorts to becoming the mistress of an official in the hopes that he can either free her husband or help her get out of Poland, not realizing he was largely behind all her troubles. Unquestionably, this story is very emotional and not for the weak of heart as it is tragic through and through on many levels.
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Beautiful Stranger (Piekna Nieznajoma)(1992) Director: Jerzy Hoffman;Jerzy Hoffman brings to film "Beautiful Stranger" (Piekna Nieznajoma), the novel written by Aleksei Tolstoy. It is a spy film set in 1917. The story is of a young Russian lieutenant on a mission to deliver some documents to Sweden. His journey by train is not uneventful, as a beautiful stranger (Grazyna Szapolowska) makes his trip very interesting. Lieutenant Nikita Obozow, as played by Wojciech Malajkat, is brave, yet a bit timid with women. He quickly meets the woman in the next cabin, which results in a strange romance. They both like each other, but Nikita is reluctant to make advances. It is intriguing to see what the woman's game is and who she really is, as the stranger is also more than he bargains for. With encounters in the dinning car and in the hallway, the romance between the lieutenant and the stranger develops. The tension between the two builds, which leads to some erotic moments such as when she goes into the bathroom between their two rooms to take a shower so he can see her silhouette on the frosted glass. The stranger is beautiful, she has a sting, and as much as the lieutenant may like to think he is in control, he isn't, as he fell for her. Their romance is not a fairy tale romance, but one that is realistic. Hoffman did an exceptional job presenting the story of "Beautiful Stranger." The story itself and the interconnection of details make the film itself beautiful. I would say it is on par with his film "Znachor" and may appeal most to those that like a sophisticated drama. It is a captivating story worth watching. |
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Hijacking Agatha (Uprowadzenie Agaty)(1993) Director: Marek Piwowski;"Hijacking Agatha" is a roller-coaster romance about an under-aged girl who falls in love at first sight with a charismatic young man, who's just escaped from prison. The girl's father (Jerzy Stuhr) is infuriated with her erratic behavior, which, understandably, becomes her parents' nightmare. Films occasionally capture the essence of an issue and can serve as an icon for all. "Hijacking Agatha" is a great example of how well film can tell a great story, this one being about a firecracker romance. But more interestingly, it also realistically portrays Psychiatry and how it is often used -- an institutional control mechanism for people with undesirable behavior. As the parents disapprove of their teenager's romance, one solution is to commit her to a mental hospital. I found the realistic portrayal of Psychiatry very refreshing to experience, rather than the glamorized role it often is given in many films. "Hijacking Agatha" includes several elements I've found in many Polish films -- it is unpredictable, quite serious, and not as happy a story as many might prefer. I enjoyed this movie's many twists and turns that kept me guessing, the action kept me on my toes, and it's underlining messages are more complicated and thought-provoking than the naive themes I find in many American films. After watching "Hijacking Agatha," I understand why this popular film has attained "CULT" status in Poland, all the more so as it is reputed to be based on a somewhat sensationalized, yet true life story. |
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A Comedy about Marriage (Komedia Malzenska)(1994) Director: Roman Zaluski;Poland experienced quite a change with the fall of communism. There was no more talk with "comrade this" or "comrade that" and stores with empty shelves, but opportunity to run free enterprise and the only thing holding one back was oneself. These were exciting times with a chance to change the direction the future holds. Komedia Malzenska is a story about a woman that is fed up with her hectic life and snaps. Maria Kozlowska (Ewa Kasprzyk) is a housewife with three kids. Her husband, Wiktor (Jan Englert), relies on her to make their family run smoothly and would be lost without her. Her best friend is a feminist and always encourages her to break free of the bonds that men made to enslave her. Without a doubt, her friend isn't a good influence on her, but she is smart enough to not believe the hogwash her friend tells her. Eventually, she does have enough when she jumps to some conclusions thinking her husband is cheating on her. She packs her bag and leaves her family without letting them know her plans. Although it was funny to watch everything up to this point, it only gets better once Maria is gone. The family realizes just how much they need her and she realizes that she can be successful in life, perhaps even more successful than her husband. Don't worry, the family doesn't completely fall apart (like it would if this movie was made today) and they do reunite, but you will have to see for yourself to find out how it happens. The story mirrors the changes in society that took place in the early 1990s with the new government. Although tradition was not abandoned completely, subtle changes took place and were there to stay. Although it might sound like there are some feminist tones to the movie, I wouldn't say anything presented in the story would changes anyone's beliefs. In fact, there are a number of good cracks made at feminism, but what else can be expected in a comedy? Komedia Malzenska was made a few years after the fall of the iron curtain, so when they talk about money, they are still using the old zloty with their very inflated numbers. Considering this was over twenty years ago, it is almost nostalgic to watch today. Polish movies in the early 1990s still had a very Polish style to them, so there isn't any attempt to try to copy Hollywood or have several songs in English in them.
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List of Lovers (Spis Cudzoloznic)(1995) Director: Jerzy Stuhr;"List of Lovers" (Spis Cudzoloznic) is a drama with a dilemma. Professor Gustaw (Jerzy Stuhr) is asked to entertain a visiting professor from Sweden. It turns out that the Swedish Professor Bjorn is only interested in finding a woman for the night. Gustaw calls all of his former lovers hoping to find one that may help entertain his new friend. Ironically, there are young, attractive women everywhere they go but Gustaw is intent on finding one from his address book instead. We learn about him as he recalls his experiences and shock can only describe his reaction to how the women he knew have changed. Although "List of Lovers" runs a mere 63 minutes, it covers everything well in this time. "List of Lovers" is the first film Jerzy Stuhr directed. Stuhr's movies are often said to be influenced by the late Krzysztof Kieslowski. Stuhr stared in several of Kieslowski's films, as well as several other influential director's movies, before he took up directing. Although very debatable, I do not think Stuhr is trying to merely copy Kieslowski. Having watched all six of the films Stuhr directed to date, I tend to think he admired Kieslowski and wanted to pay him tribute. After all, I think Stuhr is intelligent enough to know that only Krzysztof Kieslowski is the best at being Krzysztof Kieslowski and only Jerzy Stuhr can be the best Jerzy Stuhr. I think "List of Lovers" is a very good drama but isn't Stuhr's best work (personally, I think "Historie Milosne" and "Pogoda Na Jutro" are his best films). "List of Lovers" is a great directorial debut and shows us that Stuhr can direct as well as act. If you like Stuhr as an actor or director, "List of Lovers" is worth checking out. |
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Colonel Kwiatkowski (Pulkownik Kwiatkowski)(1995) Director: Kazimierz Kutz;Colonel Kwiatkowski (Pulkownik Kwiatkowski) is a comedy about a con-artist in the time period just after World War II, when Poland was dealing with partisan uprisings and the changes the Soviets were putting in place. Although some people may have welcomed communism, a great deal of the people accepted it at gunpoint and didn't have much a choice in the matter. Andrzej Kwiatkowski (Marek Kondrat) is reluctantly in the Polish army as a surgeon but his medical training is in gynecology. He is given a leave of absence to visit his fiancé, but he really isn't even engaged and talks his way into a vacation to visit the ruins that were Warsaw. When there, he meets a young woman that was his neighbor. They make a bet that will change both of their lives: if he can free a young man from prison, she will marry him; if he can't, they will part ways. Kwiatkowski pulls off this stunt by pretending to be a high-ranking UB officer. Kwiatkowski grows an entourage that pretends to be his staff but they are really a group of deserters in his pay. At first, Kwiatkowski employs the scheme to impress a woman but then his motivation becomes helping people. He turns into a "robin hood" type of guy helping both the people and the country. Although Kwiatkowski detests the military, he finds pretending to be a high-ranking officer as a way to get what he wants and a way to stand up to the Soviets. I think part of the appeal for this type of movie lies in the confidence game it shows. The suspense builds as Kwiatkowski keeps pushing his luck to greater and greater limits. The film was made in 1995, six years after the end of communism in Poland and it probably would never have been allowed to be made earlier. Although it isn't harshly critical of the Soviets, anything broaching criticism was usually not taken well. Colonel Kwiatkowski is directed by Kazimierz Kutz. I am familiar with a couple of his other films such as Heat (Upal; 1964) and The Breads of One Rosary (Paciorki Jednego Rozanca; 1980) and have to say he has a lot of talent. Perhaps part of the reason why Colonel Kwiatkowski gained popularity is because the film has a patriotic element to it - it is a story of people who are looking out for the good of Poland and its people.
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Daddy (Tato)(1995) Director: Maciej Slesicki;Michal Sulecki (Boguslaw Linda) is a cameraman that isn't the best husband or father because he drinks and is a womanizer. He comes home one day to find his wife Ewa (Dorota Segda) wants a divorce. He is shocked and upset with this news and wants to mend his marriage. Although he is largely to blame for the fact that his marriage fell apart, he desperately wants to correct his ways. Michal finds the courts are unsympathetic to his desire to play a part in his daughter's life. To make things worse, his mother-in-law is a control freak that is the cause behind much of the trouble between the couple. His lawyer (Krystyna Janda) and new friend Cezary Kujawski (Cezary Pazura) from a father's rights group give him some support dealing with his situation. Ewa becomes increasing mentally unstable after she separates from her husband. During the custody trail, she snaps and the court sends her into psychiatric care. Rather than assign custody of the girl to the father, the court gives custody to the mother-in-law who the girl hardly knows. Trying to do the best for his daughter, the father kidnaps her. Michal, Ewa and mother-in-law all struggle for custody of the girl. I think "Tato" is one of the best Polish films from the 1990s. It has a great mixture of drama, suspense and humor to lighten the mood. The story is believable and the actors brilliantly portray the tense emotions in this movie. "Tato" is directed by Maciej Slesicki, who also directed the hit "Sara." I would say the film is rated "PG-13" by American standards and is a great watch for just about everyone because despite being a serious movie, it has a lot of humor and some action along the way. |
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Szamanka(1996) Director: Andrzej Zulawski;Andrzej Zulawski's films have a very unique feel to them and can may be best described as intense. After much time away from making Polish films (working on French movies), he returns to it with Szamanka. I cannot say that he refined his technique or improved his style because it was incredible from the start. Szamanka does not waste any time and pulls you in from the beginning and holds you with suspense until the very end. There are two main characters in Szamanka. Michal (Boguslaw Linda) is a doctorate student interested in shamans and is fortunate enough to be part of a find of a lifetime - they have unearthed a man preserved in a peat bog. He is convinced this man was a shaman and wants to write his doctorate on him. Michal's life becomes complicated when he meets a pretty woman nicknamed Wloszka (Iwona Petry), which means Italian; she isn't Italian but called such by her friends because she can make a good pizza. She has a strange effect on the men that see her - they are captivated by her looks and often make passes at her. The fact that she wears clothes that show off her gams probably is part of the reason why she gets attention. They instantly trigger emotions in each other after just meeting. Even though both are involved in relationships their meeting sparks a passionate bond. Their interactions are almost on a higher level and they can almost read each other's minds. The only guy that can excite her sexually is Michal and he also has the power to calm her psychotic-like breaks. Michal sees her as having a special power and her energy awakens a higher force in him. I felt like the movie was like running full speed up to the line between sanity and insanity and looking off the cliff of madness getting a good look at the views one can behold. Szamanka truly is a feast of the sense. It isn't just a visual experience but one that is matched with intense music perfectly. I especially like how the music grows in intensity and suddenly stops. A lot of the music has drums and there is something primal about it that matches flawlessly. Iwona Petry's acting is incredible. Considering her complex and abnormal character, she convincingly makes us see this person as real, as unnerving as her character may make some viewers. Petry's acting is beyond intense and is truly exceptional. Unquestionably, Boguslaw Linda ranks among the best Polish actors and has also had the distinction of working with most of the best directors in Polish cinema. Linda has earned fame with his work in numerous dramas and action films; he has even stared in a few movies on the artsy side and without a doubt his role in Szamanka may be perceived as risky but adds an extra facet to his curriculum vitae. Zulawski's films have a little bit of an artistic feel to them. Szamanka is a story of infatuation and is very erotic (with over a dozen sex scenes). At times, I thought Szamanka felt like a science fiction movie (especially when they were working over the mummy when it was placed in the glass case) and even a horror (due to some very dark parts). Although not everyone appreciates Zulawski's work and this is certainly not a movie for everyone, I think Szamanka is a masterpiece and Zulawski is a genius.
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Michael (Cezary Pazura) is a broken man because his wife is having an affair with his brother. He used to write computer viruses when he was younger and now people want him to help them get rid of the viruses that are plaguing the city. Another group of people want a disk from him. He doesn't know what they are talking about but they use deadly force to try to make him hand it over. It is hard at times to tell who is loyal to which group, which creates a lot of mystery. Between the action and the mystery there are a lot of sexy parts also.
Pazura's role in Wirus is a bit different than his usual. He plays a scruffy guy that is always yelling or acting like a drunk, probably because he is always drinking. He borders on being an annoying character because of the way he acts.
Wirus is entertaining if you like action films. It is a very unpredictable movie because people are torturing Michael one minute and it is all good the next. Don't expect anything sophisticated because it isn't that type of film.
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Street Games (Gry Uliczne)(1997) Director: Krzysztof Krauze;"Street Games" (Gry Uliczne) is a suspenseful story about two men that attempt to unravel a complicated death/murder seeped in politics. A reporter (Redbad Klynstra) and his cameraman (Robert Gonera) are used to making provocative investigative documentaries, but when they take on an assignment to investigate the 1977 death of Stanislaw Pyjas, they take on something bigger than they may have ever imagined. Officially, Pyjas died from a fall from a staircase, but the word on the street is that he was killed by the secret police. The movie shows us a part of life in Communist Poland, but stays firmly grounded in the present time. The filmmakers make their own investigation into the death that occurred about 20 years prior by interviewing people that knew him and worked for the secret police. Things get complicated because many of the former secret police agents are now in various positions of power. As the filmmakers interview more and more people, they get deeper into the mystery as they try to peel the layers of the onion away. The film is a suspense/drama and murder-mystery, but the story is not told in a completely straightforward way. The movie uses come creative camera work and story telling that gives it a slightly different feeling. Occasionally, there are cartoon-like art images intermixed throughout the movie breaking up the seriousness and adding to the other slightly surrealistic aspects. One of my favorite examples of this would be when the reporter tells his friend a story while they are using drugs in the bathroom. His story involves a woman who he met and interacts with at a bar who was wearing only body paint. The lines between the story and the present are very vague and overlap. Krzysztof Krauze directed "Street Games" (1997) just before he made his 1999 award-winning thriller "The Debt" (Dlug). The suspense in "Street Games" is different from that of "The Debt," but perhaps it was his chance to refine his technique for the later film. Krauze does not have many films to his catalog, but his work demonstrates his ability and is one to keep an eye on. |
Set in the mid-1990s, a group of Polish peacekeeping forces are stationed in the territory of former Yugoslavia. The peacekeepers receive a distress message pleading for help in their area. A small team of soldiers is sent out to assist, but their short mission turns into a challenge, as the opposition is well trained and ready for a fight.
The film creates an intense feeling of suspense with its great plot and acting. The soldiers in this movie are played by several of Poland's best actors, including Boguslaw Linda, Olaf Lubaszenko, Zbigniew Zamachowski, Artur Zmijewski, Miroslaw Baka, and Radoslaw Pazura. This impressive lineup of actors does a great job portraying the expert fighters, as well as support personnel who turn out to be unfit when faced with combat. I would highly recommend "Demony Wojny" to those looking for a great action film.
"Ajlawju" is a romance, as well as a comedy. It really is a love story, but one about a couple that has many problems in getting along. The many aspects of being madly in love make up much of the humor of the movie. If you ever experienced or saw a man go ballistic for his woman being late 15 minutes, you might enjoy the humor in the film.
My favorite part in the movie was when Adas (Cezary Pazura) visits Chicago, which at times reminds him of Lodz. The entire sequence is hilarious and I absolutely love this part of the movie. His thoughts and madness are shared with all of those around him, if they like it or not.
The film is very vulgar, but the subtitles do not catch it all so if you are not fluent in Polish, you might not take the film as being as vulgar as it really is. I really should also mention that Katarzyna Figura really does stand out for her fantastic acting in the film. If you enjoyed the other parts of the "trilogy" or enjoy adult humor, then "Ajlawju" is worth watching.
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With Fire and Sword (Ogniem i Mieczem)(1999) Director: Jerzy Hoffman;"With Fire and Sword" (Ogniem i Mieczem) was the film that started my interest in Polish cinema a few years ago. Its story, effects, and history amazed me. Watching the movie was a life-changing event for me on the level of being a spiritual and cultural experience. It ranks among the best I have ever watched and is one of my all time favorites. "With Fire and Sword" is based on the first of a trilogy written by Henryk Sienkiewicz. It takes place in the 17th century, when Poland's borders were much wider than they are today. However, it also a time when nearly all of its neighbors invaded its land throughout the century. This story has it all. It is a love story and a war story. It is fairly lengthy, but considering it is an epic and covers an intricate story with so much happening, I loved every minute and feel it needs the time to fully portray the story. Although the film should not be taken as an exact history, it is remarkable how many of the historical details do match up. In my study of this time by reading and though my involvement with a 17th century Polish-Lithuanian living history group, I am amazed on the volume of fine details that are accurate in the film. Regardless, the film is not a documentary but entertainment and that it is without any doubt. Even people unfamiliar with Polish cinema may recognize some of its actors. Izabella Scorupco, who plays the leading lady in this film also played in the English speaking films "GoldenEye" and "Reign of Fire." Two men with very prominent parts in this movie (Michal Zebrowski and Zbigniew Zamachowski) also have small parts in Roman Polanski's "The Pianist." If you enjoy long historical movies, "With Fire and Sword" is a must. This DVD is the TV version of the film, which is broken into four parts, with credits at the end of each part. There are voiceovers when those speaking Ukrainian talk, which obstructs hearing them. Often, the only difference between the Ukrainian and Polish is the accent. Personally, I find the voiceover to be a little annoying. On the plus side, the TV version has a few extra minutes of footage not in the theater version. |
Things get a little ridiculous, in a funny way, as a real assassin named Szakal (Peter J. Lucas) tries to take Jurek out. As Jurek is the only one who can accept the gold he receives at the warehouse, the mobsters also bring in Cuban look-a-like to act as Jurek's double. Another thing that complicates Jurek's life is the wife of one of the mobsters, and the daughter of the other, like him in a way that gets him in trouble with both the mobsters and his girlfriend. With good timing and a little luck, Jurek does pretty well most of the time (but how it all comes together you will have to see for yourself).
I would say it is a good idea to watch the first part before watching this one, as you will have a better understand of the charters. Kiler-ow 2-och is loaded with a great supporting cast, which we got to know in part one, including Jan Englert, Marek Kondrat, Jerzy Stuhr and Katarzyna Figura. I would say Kiler-ow 2-och is just as fun and funny as the first part and ranks among my favorite Machulski films. Juliusz Machulski's movies have a unique type of humor and he is best known for directing Seksmisja (1984), but Kiler would probably be considered his other big hit. If you like comedies or something not too serious, Kiler-ow 2-och is for you.