Coming Soon (I) (2006) User Reviews

One of the Best movies I have ever seen...

[walhalla-2 · 10/10 · 16 October 2006]

This is one of the best movies I have seen this year... It is presented as an "reportage", but... Some of the audience may not realize till the end of the movie if it is really true or not... And after seen it you will watch the world around you more careffourly and see some things from new angles... And you will think more about them. BTW: is there somebody around you who uses the little thing on keys in a form of a cow, rabbit or something like this... Then you will find in this movie, what exactly it means :-)

I would like to say something more about it, but no, it is too hard to say what is the movie about... you should watch it. If you have the possibility, just do it!

It will probably not be on DVDs any time soon... so you will have to look for it in some theatre... If you are in Czech Republic you have better chances, but it is going to be released in English really soon, so don't miss your chance!

BTW: when it finished I was asking myself why it was so short... but it took the standard 90 minutes :-)

Shocking Philosophical Masterpiece!

[futuramalover · 10/10 · 23 July 2006]

I hope I don't turn people away from this film by calling it philosophical masterpiece, since I also consider MATRIX (at least the first one!) a philosophical masterpiece. There are many philosophical films, but the ones I consider masterpieces are the ones which AREN'T boring! I was invited to a private screening of this film in Pargue a few days after it won an award from a Jury of Students from the University of Pilsen. The producers wanted to show the film to the people who were involved in the film and I was invited by one of the graphic artists. He didn't tell me anything about the film, just that it was a surprise. I go to as many festivals as possible looking for surprises and I rarely find them, so I wasn't very optimistic about this one. But I didn't want to offend my friend so I went.

I wasn't surprised. I was simply shocked! Pleasantly shocked! When the film ended I was angry like when someone wakes me from a beautiful dream. They said they will shorten the final version and I think this is a mistake. The version I saw was two hours and I would have welcomed another hour. Without any special effects or fancy gimmicks, they created a very trippy alternative reality that is like a world by itself. To this day, which is more than 3 months after I saw the film, I think about it and can't stop talking about it (you can ask my wife!).

All I can say to Sir Tijn Po and all the other people who worked on the film is Bravo! I can't wait to seeing it again when you release it in theaters here. I hope other film-makers here learn a lesson from this film that you can make movie magic without big money!

Great and funny!!!

[jana-kyselova · 10/10 · 12 June 2007]

I must say that I'm quite surprised that everyone here on IMDb and even in the Czech media is praising this film. I thought I would have to come here to defend it! But all the comments are compliments?!

When I heard of this film and what it is about I thought it was making fun of minorities and was a little afraid to watch it. I am a member of Lesbian community here and people tolerate us but you never see Lesbian or Gay heroes in Czech films. When I heard that "Coming Soon" is about zoophilia-rights organization I thought it was making fun of our struggle here because we just had a new big victory with the law. But this film is amazing. Shocking but amazing! When they showed it my town they had a guest from the film and after there was a discussion with the audience and he asked how many people are now ready to give rights to zoophiles. HALF the people raised their hands!!! I am sure that before the film started not even one person would raise their hand. This film in a very smart and sensitive and even funny way shows how silly it is to bother other people about what they like to do sexually. I cried when all those people raised their hands because of what it means for me and people like me and ALL people who like unusual things.

I don't know if I'm explaining this very clear but I think it's one of the most important films in a long time and I want to thank all the people who made it. I agree with the jury in Plzen who gave them the Special Award for originality helping minorities and I hope it will win many more! This is a film many people will use when they have to explain some unusual desires... Great, great film!!! :-) :-) :-)

New Maestro on the Block

[klimastik · 9/10 · 4 December 2006]

It seems obvious to me that Sir Tijn Po will be regarded as one of the great auteurs of cinema along with Fellini, Bergman, Lynch, as well as his own favorites, Pasolini and Svankmajer. When I compare COMING SOON, Po's directorial debut, with the debut films of these other masters, COMING SOON certainly ranks among the best.

The typical financial constraints of debut films have affected COMING SOON as well (it is rumored to have cost just over 6,000 USD) and I wouldn't consider it a perfect film. But there are clear moments of genius which fortell of a powerful new cinematic language to come.

It's been years since a film has left so many images and questions lingering in my mind and I thank the entire cast and crew for the experience.

See this film if you can!

One of my all-time favorites!!!

[princetonalibi · 10/10 · 30 July 2007]

I think "Coming Really Soon" would have been a better title for this film about a Zoophile Rights group and their planned revolution.

I just saw the film at an annual Czech event called Letni Filmova Skola, which translates as "Summer Film School" even though it isn't really a film school at all. People from all over the world (but mainly Czechs of course) converge on the small Czech town of Uherske Hradiste and peacefully indulge in the best of world cinema - both past and present. One of this year's main themes was Brazilian Film and I was part of one of the delegations. My Czech isn't absolutely fluent but the town was full of provocative posters for "Coming Soon" and I decided to try it. Although the theater was packed and I was sweating for two hours this film was definitely the highlight of the festival for me and certainly the best Czech film I can remember seeing. I pretty much agree with most of the preceding comments except for the woman who says it's not as good as Jan Svankmajer's last film - "Lunacy." I love Svankmajer too but "Coming Soon" has made me re-evaluate so many issues in life that I don't think "Lunacy" can compare from a philosophical standpoint. And the performances in "Coming Soon" (if they are performances... nobody would give me a straight answer) are far better than anything else you'll see in Czech cinema - including "Lunacy." If it's a fake documentary it's genius. If it's a real documentary than it's the ballsiest thing that I've seen years.

"Hats off" as they say in Czech and I hope you make it to Brazil. It will be fun to watch the reactions!

Bravoooooooooooo!!!!

[karess666 · 10/10 · 12 May 2007]

All I can say about this film is "Bravo"!!! I can't remember a gutsier film in years. And this is going to start off a very interesting chain reaction. There are already people around the world organizing in ways which are portrayed in this film and I firmly believe that it will become an historical milestone in the history of zoophile rights and society in general. This may just be another, more peaceful, "Stonewall"...something that finally comes along and bursts another bubble.

But that's just an interesting side-effect of a film that opens up many other issues. I don't want to copy the film's official synopsis but it really sheds light on issues of progress vs. tradition, habit vs. exploration, as well as many other "old" issues.

Hard to describe but easy to recommend!!!

Great cinematic "Scream"

[salomond-1 · 10/10 · 4 August 2006]

"Coming Soon" is my favorite film this year! A bit sloppy at times but a great overall achievement!

In the catalogue for the Plzen festival where the film premiered, they quote Sir Tijn Po as saying that he just wants to emulate his two greatest film-making heroes, Jan Svakmajer and Pier Paolo Pasolini. I never heard this comparison before and I find it a little strange. I also love both Svankmajer and Pasolini but their styles are so different - Svankmajer's films never let up for a second while many of Pasolini's scenes seem to last forever. I do agree, however, that both of these directors seem to approach cinema with similar intentions and try using it as a tool to express what is usually expressed via poetry, theater, classical music and the like. But their individual styles are almost opposites.

"Coming Soon" reminded me more of Munch's classic painting "The Scream". You can feel the actors and director just bursting with frustration and screaming at the top of their lungs, screaming to all clergy, politicians, and censors "F...off! Let us think and breathe and live the way WE see fit!!!" For me it was an expressionistic work of art that lingers long after the individual scenes fade away. It's a collective revolt which I identify with very much.

One of the main newspapers here, Hospodarske Noviny, wrote about the film: "…conveyed with an extraordinary amount of humor and exaggeration which like the director's hero (Svankmajer) tries to shatter barriers." The style of this film is far from Svankmajer's world (no animation or rusty spoons) but I agree that it shares his sense of provocation and exploration.

Talking of Pasolini, this film actually did remind me a bit of "Salo: 120 Days of Sodom" at least as far as shock-value is concerned. But unlike "Salo" which is full of violence and Sadism, "Coming Soon" is full of love and humor (except for the one scene with the bull and skins…). While watching the film I wasn't uncomfortable at all, my own shock came days after I saw the film. It's like a little bug that enters your brain and slowly nibbles away at your previous opinions.

I'm curious to see how far this film will go but I'm betting it will find a nice cult following. I, for one, am in!

Modern-Day Classic!

[socratesforever · 10/10 · 17 January 2008]

Aside from reiterating the praise from the other comments I want to express my opinion that this film in NOT a film about zoophilia. Or, to put it better, this film is as much about zoophilia as Orwell's ANIMAL FARM is about animals. It uses zoophilia (and the question of zoophile-rights) as vehicle to explore far more general and profound questions about humanity, tradition, media, morality, etc.

Regardless of whether or not this film is a real documentary (and there are many conflicting claims floating around the internet - including the films's official website!) it is highly successful in seducing the viewer into new philosophical territory - all while making you laugh and cry.

This type of film is certainly economical suicide since I can't imagine any distributors even touching it, but if the internet proves to be a viable distribution platform I'm convinced this film will become a modern-day classic on par with Pasolini's SALO, Plato's SOCRATIC DIALOGUES, etc. It shares SALO's intelligent shock-value and easily matches the effectiveness of Plato's DIALOGUES in gently guiding the reader/viewer to unexpected conclusions.

If anyone out there is aware of other films that can justifiably be called philosophical works (not just films ABOUT philosophy) please let me know. Aside from WHAT THE BLEEP DO WE KNOW I haven't yet encountered anything remotely similar.

Congratulations to Sir Po & Co. and I'll be anxiously looking forward to your future efforts!

My favourite Czech film in years

[sestruska · 10/10 · 28 March 2007]

FINALLY!!! A Czech film that isn't afraid to bite! So many Czech films are the same and look like theater plays. Czech cinema used to be so incredible and now I have the feeling like they are afraid to deal with really serious issues. (I'm from Slovakia and I am not very proud of my own country's film history but I study and live in Brno, Czech Republic and am a huge fan of this country's culture.) Now comes this foreigner and makes a Czech film that I think is incredible. Forman went to America and Po came here! It's not really at all like Forman but more like a strange mixture between Svankmajer and Sverak (the fathers, not the sons!). Some of the other comments here said most of what I wanted to say but I didn't see any Slovaks, so here I am. Wake up my dear Cesi and stop being so careful! Experiment and risk!!! Don't let Americans become the stars of Czech cinema. (I don't have anything against Americans but I think Czechs can make great films too if they start trying.) The only exception is Svankmajer. Nobody compares to him. Sorry Sir Po. Maybe next film??? But I still blow you many kisses for COMING SOON ;-)!!!

Long live Czech humor!

[krystalek666 · 10/10 · 24 July 2006]

I just saw CLERKS II, a good new film by the American director, Kevin Smith and then went on the net to find out what people are saying about it. The film has a few jokes about donkey-cocks and has caused an uproar amongst Christians, film-critics (Joe Siegel, etc.), and all sorts of other people protecting each others' morals. I couldn't help but be amazed (and I wrote this in my comment about CLERKS II) how uptight they are over there! Can you imagine what'll happen when COMING SOON is shown there? They're gonna add Prague to the axis of evil and invade us! They'll make Sir Tijn Po, or whatever his name is into a terrorist just because he seems to support Zoophilia (and has a great piece about Condi Rice)! When I saw COMING SOON in Plzen I don't think anyone walked out. I remember people loving it and talking about for a long time afterwards. I'm proud to be Czech and I'm proud that I don't take everything so seriously!

Imperfect Masterpiece

[melanie-franc · 8/10 · 31 October 2007]

Hello Cinephiles! Just a few quick thoughts about this film which I think has many brilliant sides and some mistakes or imperfections. I saw it at the French Institute of Prague who showed the premiere of the English version of the film a few weeks ago. I waited until today to write because I wasn't absolutely sure what to think about it. The Institute described the film as the most original Czech film of the year and I think it's one of the most original films of the year from anywhere. We had a long discussion after the film and so many ideas were running through my mind. But it is a shocking perverse film which made me think uncomfortable things about myself and the society we live in. Any thing that makes me think so much today is a masterpiece for me. Today it is so rare!

But the film has some mistakes in sound and some confused ideas which make it imperfect for me. But it is still a great film and I agree with many of the opinions already here.

I never saw Svankmajer's films but I know Pasolini and I think he would like it even if the film has a VERY different style. But it is full of ideas, poetry and perversion. Nice job. But be careful ;-)

One of my favorites ever!!!

[salliegraves28 · 10/10 · 8 July 2008]

There isn't really much I can add to the previous comments - I can just add my name to the list of people who people who find it hilarious and disturbing, entertaining while raising deep questions (to quote Dr. Peter Singer.)

We received an e-mail invitation to the internet ¨Premiere¨ on July 4th, saying that they would be start streaming the entire the film for free, and our whole vegan society decided to watch during our vegan July 4th, BBQ. We had no idea what to expect, but were blown away by the depth, originality, humor, and plain trippiness of it all! Is it the Czech water?

Great job!

We'll be spreading the word!!!!!!

Fave film on this topic

[newcommunicationstrategies · 10/10 · 10 April 2020]

I found this through the Peter Singer quote.

Truly brilliant - surreal journey - through many philosophical planes. Can't se this enjoying mainstream success, but a genuine trip for thinkers.

Thoroughly sui generis!

Deep & Ingenious!

[malooboo · 10/10 · 27 January 2009]

Ditto to most of the previous comments! (How the hell did they manage to keep them all positive and why is the rating 5.5 when most rating seem to have been sky high? Whatever...)

Saw this on Google and laughed for hours. Sir Po (I love you man!) perfectly deconstructs our contemporary philosophical and political strains and plays with them like an evil genius toying with monkeys' bananas.

Thank goodness for the Internet or else I would never have seen this. Thank goodness for Sir Po. I have faith in future reason again.

P.S. I found some raging debates about whether this film is an authentic documentary or not!!! Are you kidding?!?!

This Film Creates a New Cutting Edge!

[MoliereAmour · 10/10 · 28 March 2009]

Bravo to Mr. Po and his collaborators for moving forward the cutting edge of sexual discourse! Of course many artists and activists will now be angry with you because now they are no longer controversial. They will speak about homosexual rights, or polygamy, or the minimum age of minors or anything else, but now this ALL old news after Ćoming Soon. I don't know what can come next that will be more controversial, necrophilia? This will be the same thing. You ripped open the last frontier and this is amazing! I see that on Wikipedia they try to erase you all the time. This is exactly what I mean. Even artists will get angry because they are all now Old-News and nobody likes to be Old-News.

I am sure this film will be talked about for centuries.

One more time, BRAVO!!!

Grounbreaking treatment of very taboo subject

[MichaelPrime888 · 10/10 · 4 December 2020]

Against all odds, this film has managed to find an international underground audience. I saw it an underground film club in India...

Thouroughly sui generis and playful on so many levels.

Very provocative and hilarious, especially if you realize it's a fictional film. People don't seem to realize that somehow and the filmmakers never admit it.

Great milestone movie. Watch it for sure if you love art and philosophy.

Wish I'd Seen It Sooner

[sweettanguero · 10/10 · 12 June 2011]

I'm pleasantly shocked that all the reviews on here are so positive, yet I'm not surprised that IMDb presents the film a 5.5 rating even though if you look at the actual votes this film has received on the IMDb page you will see that it has a Arithmetic mean = 8.6. Median = 10. This means that IMDb has joined the corporate oppression of zoophiles and this film. Wikipedia did the same thing with this film. Amazon removed it from their video on demand. Youtube keeps removing the trailers. And the film doesn't even have porn?! It only features flawless philosophy.

The reason this makes me mad is because I would have found this film - one of all-tome favorites - a lot sooner had it not been subjected to this type of censorship and abuse. Obviously, no corporate sponsor would ever back this film so Sir Tijn Po and CS have been regulated to the underground. They must have known what they're getting into, so no pity for them. But what about us viewers craving this type of powerful philosophical cinema - why should we have to work so hard to find it? But all in all I commend IMDb for at least featuring this film (I found it though you guys) and thanks to the ballsy people behind it who blew my mind, stirred my soul, jerked my tears and have inspired me to live my life more true to my true self.