A Coffee in Berlin (2012) Germany

The tale for a cup of coffee.

Original title:

Oh Boy.

Genre:

Comedy, Drama.

Length:

Approximately 4-minute read.


Review:
     It was like, came five years ago. One of the most unexpected films from a debutant director to succeed commercially, as well as to grab as many as the German Academy Awards. A 'black and white' and a short film than an average runtime. A small budget flick that the entire story revolved within a day. These are the interesting basic things about it you must know. Then going into the film, it's really feels good kind. But not everything in the story was pleasant. I mean, there's nothing serious, but a man who faces difficulties.

     It was about a young, carefree man. Dropped out of law practice and having no job or a girlfriend, he spends his days as how it turns out itself. He has one good friend, nut not an ideal one. And of course annoying father who always advises him to be normal like everybody else. But this particular day is not ordinary. After saying goodbye to a girl he spent the night with, all he wanted was a cup of fresh coffee. Unfortunately, he did not get it.

     So the rest of the day follows, as many unexpected events begin to unfold. One of it was encountering an old schoolmate. She invites him to her play. Meanwhile, his date with dad and later in the day ending up in a pub where he meets an old man who narrates his life experience. Just after that, the story takes a simple twist as the day too is coming to an end, the end credit started to roll up.

 The only thing I can do, is doing nothing for you anymore. 

     I like modern 'black and white' films. Actually 99 per cent of those films I've seen were like masterpieces or almost. They simply don't make one, unless what they wanted to narrate on the screen is something special. It really captured the depth. The depth of the character. When it all began, we know zero about the lead character, but very soon everything changes, only heading forward. And when it reached the other end, you would feel you have known him long enough. One of the reasons could be your life, having similarity with the film. Most of the people have passed that stage in their 20s, like either being rebellious or unemployed/carefree.

     It was pretty much like one of those films you have seen that centres on one particular thing. Because of a small timing indifference or a mistake can lead a slight deviation in the path and then a new adventure begins. That's what in my language we say, 'in a cycle gap'. Bicycles might be big, but its path/track is so thin. In this, it was all about a cup of coffee. If he had got it when he first desired for it, the thing would have been different. Very neatly written screenplay. No doubt why it won the national award for that.

     Towards the end, I felt slowness, like it got tired of everything. But that's perfect, because since this tale is about a single day, that's how people as well feel in their long day. Overall, it worked out for me and so for most those who saw it. I might be late, but watched it, did not I! If you have seen it, that's great, but if not, then I suggest you to try it. Quite fun to watch. No serious laughs, but in a couple of scenes it delivered as it meant. Felt like I've watched a German film after a long time, but I've picked the right one.



Suitable for:
Tween, Teen, Adult, All


Final verdict:
Ignore, Bad, Average, Good, Excellent


Similar movies:
Frances Ha, About the Pink Sky, Stranger Than Paradise, Being Charlie, The Art of Getting By.


External link(s):

WCA geolocation:
Right now we're in

The Son of Joseph (2016) France, Belgium

In search of truth, a coming-of-age tale.

Original title:

Le Fils De Joseph (French)

Genre:

Comedy, Drama.

Length:

Approximately 3-minute read.


Review:
     I'm really bad at guessing things. When I first saw the film poster and read the title, I thought it could be about immigration. No, it isn't. This is a comedy, a black comedy, involving a teenager obsessed to find his biological father. So his adventure is where it all takes him was what comically portrayed.

     There's nothing special about the story. Not in the initiation. So once the second half commence, that's where the film becomes unpredictable. Because all the developments were done in the earlier and what followed was simply an unexpected consequence.

     Vincent, a teenager suddenly interested to know who is his birth father. He has not properly got answered by his mom for that question. So his quest begins, all in a right direction, but he did not expect it to turn out to be a disappointment. What follows after that was an interesting event ended with a simple twist.

     First of all it is not your normal comedy flick. The storyline might look familiar, but presented on the screen artistically. I laughed at the cast's expressions than the comedy scenes/events. Especially in those shots where they have to see straight into the camera. Somewhat fun to watch, but overall just above average film.

 Work is the enemy of pleasure. 

     As I've said, they knew how to begin, even the conclusion was well figured out, but how to reach there was where they have got lost a little bit. Moreover, it all was done quite unexpected adventurously. That's what I saw in the poster and misunderstood prior of watching it.

     As an animal lover, I hated that donkey part.  The film looked decent, until that. They should have avoided it. But anyway, I'm glad I saw it. The cast was good and shot in some lovely outdoor places. At least I came to know this stylish filmmaker. Now I should keep an eye on him.

     There are many good French comedies, so this is not one of them, a must see, yet I feel why not once. Because it is being so simple. Except the runtime was close to the two hours. They say it is a drama, but there's a more fun side of it than considering it a serious drama.

     Finally, who knows, it could work better for you than me. But choose it carefully. Because this is not a famous French film of the year. Not many people know its existence. Above that, it might not be a great film, but surely not the worst to ignore without researching basic info before deciding what to do.



Suitable for:
Tween, Teen, Adult, All


Final verdict:
Ignore, Bad, Average, Good, Excellent


Similar movies:
The Kid With a Bike, Two Days One Night, Irreplaceable, Le Havre, Macadam Stories.


External link(s):

WCA geolocation:
Right now we're in

Behind the Blue Door (2016) Poland

A door to unleash the miracles!

Original title:

Za Niebieskimi Drzwiami (Polish)

Genre:

Adventure, Drama, Family, Fantasy.

Length:

Approximately 4-minute read.


Review:
     I did not expect another 'Narnia' here. But I knew once learning about the plot and seeing the film poster that I might feel the familiarity. Most of the fantasy themes revolve in a similar fashion, especially those about stepping into an alternate world. So basically it is a cliche than any other way around we think.

     As for children's perspective which this film was aimed for, there's nothing to whine about. Surely they would enjoy watching it. But us being the grown-ups, we must give up the adultness, if we want to have a good time with it. This is a harmless film in anyway and has to have in its way than ours.

     I can defend it if I want to, but the point is the grown ups should stop the way they look at such film and reject them like it was made for them or forced to see it. For me it was only just an above average. The attempt was great. The film originally based on the book of the same name. Colourful visuals, particularly in those required parts. But the depth was missing. The story was very simple. There were no big adventures or goes deep into the characters. But at the end, it all feels it had went through a lot. Every detail, the twist, all falls into a line.

     It was about a mother and her young son, Lukasz. They seem a little joyous family. On one morning while driving to the school, an accident happens. Leaving Lukasz fractured knee, but his mother in coma. Then his old school aunt comes in and takes him back to her place as she has a business to take care. Not knowing what would happen to his mother, while wandering around, Lukasz enters an alternate dimension. It was fun in the initial, but then a trouble follows him. Now with the help of his new friends, he has to fight back the dark force threatening to take over his world.

 It does not look curable. I reckon she's done for. 

     The visuals were not impressive. But then it does not matter if you get the twist correctly. Overall an acceptable quality for sure. The twist was decent, but it could be a surprising one of the kids. From all, the antagonist was really something to be scared of. I mean for the little one. Yes, the bad guys were terrifying. Something that you see in horror films. Graphics or make-ups, whatever it was, they have done a nice job. But surely the little kids would be frightened of it. I mean like below 7. That's what the parents should be careful of.

     I'm sure these youngsters are the fresh faces, but they were good. The filmmakers too did their parts very well. Since I haven't read the book I can't compare. Though looks it was not a bad adaptation. I did not see it digital 3D, that experience would have been another level. But it depends whether you favour that technology or not. The west has already given up on it, except for the mega projects. But in the east, the trend still remains. So I think it would have been nice to watch in 3 dimensions. Because such film somewhat relies on that kind of format.

     This is a Polish film and see it as the same way. Comparing it with Hollywood is what downgrades. Polish film industry is not as rich as Hollywood to stand to equal. But in its capacity, it had given a decent film. I respect that and expect the same from you as well, if you want to see it. Believe me, if this same film was made in Hollywood, even I would have said it's a poor film. That's the big difference here.

     I enjoyed watching this little Polish fantasy. I don't know it is a book series, but I'm happy with one-off. Not a bad idea to reveal previous accounts in a prequel. Either way it works for me. And finally, this is definitely a worthy film. In my personal opinion, it was much better than 'Fantastic Beasts', excluding production difference. Now you decide!



Suitable for:
Tween, Teen, Adult, All


Final verdict:
Ignore, Bad, Average, Good, Excellent


Similar movies:
A Monster Calls, Beasts of the Southern Wild, Pan's Labyrinth, Jumanji, Pete's Dragon.


External link(s):

WCA geolocation:
Right now we're in

Maigret in Montmartre (2017) UK

Twin murder mystery!

Genre:

TV Movie, Crime, Drama, Mystery.

Length:

Approximately 4-minute read.


Review:
     It's already fourth from a film franchise made for television. A couple of months ago I reviewed the previous film, and since then I have been looking forward for this one. It was a Christmas season release, and like usual, I'm a little late to watch it. Sadly, this instalment was underwhelmingly received. But I won't agree on that. In fact, it was much better than some of the previous films, especially in maintaining the suspense. Except the basic plot, it was okayish! I mean very casual, like any murder mystery, it opened its account. In the modern detective films, there should be a opening twist and the end twist. That's what lacked in this!

     It's a detective film, so what do you expect other than a murder mystery. So another murder that picks Maigret instead of the other way around. He could have stopped it in the beginning itself, but without it there won't be a story to tell us. This time it's a twin murder with signs of one murderer. Like usual Maigret goes after the clues that all points for a nightclub.

     It's a puzzle to solve, everyone around the victims have some kind of secrets to hide, including the victims. Now Maigret has to convince them all to come clean and sets for a trap to catch the bad guy. It was not a surprise twist, but a decent one to end the mystery once for all. There always a suspectable atmosphere about all the prime character tied to the murders. That's how the entire momentum was created to narrate the tale. Then I don't think anybody would guess perfectly who is the killer before it unfolds itself. But the angle is convincing, that makes the overall film a decent.

 At the heart of this case is a man who feels aggrieved. 

     There's a regular cast and one-time cast. The regular ones were good, led by Atkinson in the title role. As always he dominated, then his colleague vanished with a lesser screenspace. The one-timers contributed well too. The night club people, the young boy Phillippe, the Grasshopper and finally all the suspense is around the name Oscar. Montmartre street is the crime scene, but regarding the victims, they are from two different social classes. One a nightclub dancer and the other a high profile name. That is the big riddle the Miagret has to solve by connecting.

     The fourth film and a fourth director to helm this iconic novel adapted detective story. As well the first time the writer has been replaced. It maintained its average viewership, but like I've said, not everybody happy with it. I don't know what led them to that conclusion, but I enjoyed it. Nothing special, just a simple suspense drama. On the average it is an acceptable. Especially as it was made for television, that's the perfect platform to have it to maximise the outcome.

     Now the final question is can we expect the fifth film! They have recreated the brand that I've only heard of. This is my first version of this iconic detective. This modern version is to reach all the new generation and it did its part decently. So they should continue with it. This and the Jesse Stones can't be compared for several reasons, but this could be the British's own Jesse Stones. I meant purely as a television product, and about a detective. If you had enjoyed the previous three, you would do the same for it as well. Could be lesser, but that does not mean it is a bad flick. So those who wants a cop film, it will be a decent pick.



Suitable for:
Tween, Teen, Adult, All


Final verdict:
Ignore, Bad, Average, Good, Excellent


Similar movies:
Maigret Sets a Trap, Maigret's Dead Man, Maigret's Night at the Crossroads.


External link(s):

WCA geolocation:
Right now we're in