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Pavol_Ondruska
Reviews
Battle: Los Angeles (2011)
Retreat hell!
Battle: Los Angeles (or Enemy Invasion in EU countries) is a pretty neat example of what you'll get if you combine camera style of "Cloverfield", basic plot of "The Independence Day" and the atmosphere of "Black Hawk Down" together. That would be it for most people if only the target audience wasn't familiar with video games and haven't recognized many influences mostly from Killzone and Crysis franchises. I'm not saying it's a bad thing - definitely something to make the movie more visible in the amounts of action flicks made these days. And probably the first one to get it right how to mix video games with movies - those familiar with those franchises will enjoy it even more, those who are not will never notice since those influences are not so explicitly shown throughout the movie. Even though somewhat cheesy, Battle: LA is one hell of an enjoyable ride. Especially for fans of Killzone, Crysis, Quake and, what the heck, even Gears of War and Halo. Jonathan Libesman never made any really noticeable movie but something tells me he's gonna make it with this one. 8 out of 10.
Legenda o Lietajúcom Cypriánovi (2010)
Great movie on low budget
Legend of Flying Cyprian is one of the very few Slovak movies created in recent history. The setting of the movie immediately puts it in one category with somewhat similar piece by Juraj Jakubisko - Bathory. But don't get fooled on the first sight, Legend of Flying Cyprian is much more than a mere copy or, if you prefer so, a mere parasite in the new wave of historical movies in Slovakia. The main difference lies in the storytelling, pacing and the setting itself. Bathory was filled with big great acts, action, explicit violence, struggle of good and evil, but at the end remained nothing more than just a torso of rather creepy fairy tale. Flying Cyprian, when compared, focuses on a single man who was found by the monks when he arrived half dead at the gates of a monastery deep in the woods. The movie tells his story, which is based on a legend almost unknown even in Slovakia. The magic of this movie is based in very precise storytelling which tends to be rather simple, yet effective, with slow pacing. Two separate life stories of a single man resonate in contrast with each other as they are told via numerous flashbacks. Since most of the scenes are shot between the walls of the monastery, the spaces are filled with various religious symbols. Not a single one of them is misplaced or put somewhere violently - they all have their own place and meaning in the story of Cyprian. Even though I was a bit surprised at first when the ending came, I later realized it was only appropriate. The ending illustrated the ultimate change from sin to atonement which, as I have realized only later on, was the main theme of this full-length debut of Mariana Cengel- Solcanska. Legend of Flying Cyprian is a surprisingly good independent movie which proves that where is will there is also a way. Despite of it's low budget, it feels authentic and believable.
Szelíd teremtés - A Frankenstein-terv (2010)
Highly atmospheric and unconventional
This little drama tends to keep everything simple yet mysterious. It all comes down to psychological aspects. If you are looking for action or a massive scale destruction, this is a wrong address. But if you enjoy small scaled, almost intimate drama, this is something to go for. You won't find any of those cheesy characters you all know so well here. They wouldn't fit in this deep and sad story about family bonds and relationships between mother, her son and all the other characters. Project Frankenstein is revolving around the main protagonist Rudy, who finds himself not to be welcome home and still have questions about his father whom he never knew. The pacing and whole atmosphere reminded me of another great Hungarian movie - Kontroll. Hungarian directors tend to have a very special feel for telling a story without revealing too much too soon. Director Kornel Mundruczo did his work right and brought to life characters that are vivid and believable. I can only recommend this interesting project to everyone who loves dramas revolving around moral dilemmas, family values and relationships. You probably wouldn't find any better this year.