In the first half of 2024, the long-awaited sequels to “Dune” and “Mad Max”, “Blackbird” was hailed as the most successful quasi-historical Polish film of recent decades, Andrew Scott and Paul Mescal seduced viewers in dreamlike “Good Strangers”we were moved by “Brothers of Steel”, and on “Madame Web” It was hard not to ask yourself, “Who the hell gave the money for this?”
The best films of the first half of 2024
Amazon showed everyone how remakes should be done and gave subscribers phenomenal entertainment in the form of “Road House”, and “Anatomy of a Fall” captivated by breaking away from the typical courtroom drama. Mads Mikkelsen proved that he is capable of bursting with charisma even in a film in which he spends two hours trying to plant potatoes (“Bastard”), and Matthew Vaughn showed in “Agrylle”that the number of twists and unfastened roller skates can easily be overdone in even a well-thought-out and well-executed parody.
“Tomorrow will be ours” embarrassed “Barbie”, “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” tempted with beautiful special effects, but in the end offered only a formulaic, depthless, predictable story. “Challengers” impressed with the editing and great script, and “Stuntman”although it should have learned from “The Bear” about realistic chaos, turned out to be great entertainment and Leitch’s love letter to pop culture. But among all these titles, I still haven’t listed the five best ones that you absolutely must catch up on! The order of the titles listed below is random.
It’s beyond my control 2
This is the movie everyone is talking about today. Pixar and Disney’s production “Inside Out 2” broke the record and was hailed as the animation that the fastest company in history to earn a billion dollars. The film is a continuation of the story of little Riley, who grew into a teenager. We saw the inside of the heroine’s head in 2015, when a much younger girl tried to cope with the basic set of emotions, and above all, to tame sadness. Now, new personifications of emotions have joined the familiar inhabitants of Riley’s mind and have once again messed with her life.
Kelsey Mann handled the “pressure of part two” phenomenally. “Inside Out 2” is a picture that teaches self-acceptance, understanding and tolerance. Just as the first part of Riley’s adventures showed that each of our emotions is important on the path to happiness, the second part of the story proves that we also need those moments we would rather not remember to build our identity. And that’s why “Inside Out 2” is the smartest fairy tale I’ve ever seen, and every parent should watch it with their child. And although the production can be accused of a lazy script that repeats the pattern from the first part, it is thanks to this that the creators successfully went wild on other levels.
We have it here faster pace, more relevant jokes, even more colorful mini-worlds filled with ubiquitous symbolism, and even different types of animation. Most importantly, the film focuses on what was its predecessor’s greatest strength – an attempt to help viewers sort out this whole mess called man.
The production will be available in cinemas from June 12.
Hit Man
“Hit Man” is the latest film by Richard Linklater, winner of an Oscar for “Boyhood”, which was definitely too quiet in Poland. The production was released on Netflix abroad and became an instant hit, in Poland it appeared in cinemas on May 17 and went unnoticed. The film tells the story of Gary Johnson, a philosophy professor who drives an inconspicuous car, wears bland clothes in bland colours, is greeted at home by two cats, and his apartment is extremely functional. He breaks away from the stereotype of a boring person with an additional job. Gary earns extra money on top of his teacher’s salary by helping the police track down people who hire hitmen. When his colleague has to go on forced leave, it is the professor who takes on the role of hitman.
I haven’t experienced such a relaxing two hours at the cinema in a long time. And for some it will be the biggest recommendation, for others the main criticism of “Hit Man”, which does not carry any great message. Linklater’s latest work is exciting, contradicts our sense of morality, plays with contrasts and is truly relaxing. It’s a neat combination of comedy, action, thriller and film noir, which in the end turns out to be just an unusual story about a strange love and brings to mind much more serious stories about unusual duos known from films such as “Bonnie and Clyde” and “The Getaway”.
Here, however, an exaggerated comedy plot and stereotyping of the characters rule, which surprisingly does not take away their authenticity due to the problems they struggle with. At the same time, we laugh at the behaviors seen on the screen, we consider them irrational, and on the other hand, it is hard for us to judge them even when things happen that are undoubtedly immoral. Light, but absolutely not stupid entertainment.
Winter Solstice
“Winter Solstice” is in turn best christmas movie ever. Alexander Payne’s work captivates with its unobtrusiveness, warmth, sensitivity and pace, which slowly allows the viewer to learn the characters’ secrets. And there is a lot to learn. Teacher Paul, disliked by the students, is only seemingly a bore who, for lack of a better idea for life, chooses to torment students. In turn, 15-year-old Angus, who causes a lot of trouble and is at risk of being expelled from school for bad behavior, is far from a spoiled, thoughtless whiz kid.
The film teaches viewers a lesson in understanding and kindness that we often lack. It is a bittersweet story about appearances and prejudices that most often result from our fears, traumas and growing frustrations – and it is no different in the case of the characters we watch on screen. That is why it comes so naturally to the viewer to identify with them. This is also an instructive story about loss – of dreams, ambitions and loved ones – which shows, however, that no act or event from the past defines us forever.
The chemistry between the actors is an invaluable production value, and Paul Giamatti is deadly convincing in his role. The 70s atmosphere is emphasized not only by the scenery, but also by the technicalities and muted colors, and I haven’t heard such natural dialogues written with exceptionally precise accuracy in a cinema for a long time. It is pleasing that there is a place in contemporary cinema for the somewhat outdated “Winter Solstice”, because this production will never go out of date.
The film is available to watch with a Prime Video subscription, on Apple TV, TV Smart and Rakuten TV.
Interest zone
“Zone of Interest” is cinema with a capital “C”. I have not seen a better or more important film on the subject of the Holocaust. It tells the story of the everyday life of Rudolf Höss (Christian Friedel), commandant of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp, his wife Hedwig (Sandra Hüller) and their children. The next frames show us the carefree life of Germans living in a huge house with servants, a large garden and a greenhouse. Just behind the large wall surrounding the property is the camp, where people suffer and die every second.
Only Glazer, who is not afraid of risk, could have attempted a film like “The Business Zone”. The director’s avoidance of easy solutions impresses some and repels others, but it must be admitted that the director, paying tribute to the victims of the Holocaust, attempted something that most would not have thought of. The creator decided not to dehumanize the Nazis. It showed that cruelty is in human nature, and those responsible for the Holocaust were no different from us. They loved animals, family, dreamed of a beautiful home, planned holidays. It is a warning and proof that evil lurks in each of us. “People did this to other people” – every scene in “Zone of Interest” screams. Glazer does not allow the viewer to feel relief or to distance themselves from the criminals, who in many narratives have become a separate species of subhuman. And this is another strength of this film.
Glazer created a work that will never be forgotten. Just as the great crime of the Holocaust should never be forgotten. This is not another transparent production that forces sympathy from viewers, moralizes and shocks with school clichés.. This is a film that is doubly important, considering the times in which it was made. It gives hope that the Holocaust will remain a warning to people, not an instruction.
The film is available to watch on Rakuten TV, VOD Nowe Horyzonty, Pod Baranami, TV Smart and on Player.
Poor creatures
I don’t expect that in the next two decades anyone will make a film that is more tailored to my taste and aesthetic. “Poor Creatures” by Yórgos Lánthimos is a true work of art. A visual masterpiece that, with meticulous attention to visuals, does not cover up the screenplay’s shortcomings, but embellishes the story and builds an extraordinary atmosphere around it. The story of Bella Baxter’s (Emma Stone) evolution was taken from Alasdair Gray’s book of the same title. The creators showed the source material due respect, but changed many key elements and told the story of the young woman’s extraordinary life in a slightly different, more fairy-tale and metaphorical way.
“Poor Creatures” draws from many areas of culture. At first glance, the references to Gothic novels, with Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein at the forefront, and of course the horror films of the 1930s, stand out. It is extremely pleasing that the philosophical considerations known to everyone from classic literature have not been trivialized here, but rather cleverly deepened and redefined. Fans of Tim Burton will find in “Poor Creatures” a balancing act on the edge of darkness and color, admirers of “Alice in Wonderland” will appreciate the dreamlike nature, those in love with Gaudi’s Catalan modernism will be delighted by the extraordinary architecture, Dali himself would have loved the surrealistic images additionally bent with a fish eye, and the vastness of the frames is reminiscent of Tim Walker’s extraordinary photographs.
I would also venture to say that Mark Ruffalo played Lanthimos’ best role to date. Emma Stone’s phenomenal performance was crowned with a well-deserved Oscar, and the director proved once again that he can deftly balance between arthouse cinema and a simple message that fits perfectly into commercial standards.
The film can be watched on Disney Plus, Canal Plus, Megogo, Prime Video, Apple TV, Rakuten TV, Player and Play Now.
The players are playing, the fans are cheering, but not everyone is following the European Football Championships in Germany so closely. For those looking for other entertainment, we recommend something every day that we have watched, read, listened to, and think is worth recommending to others. And if you are now gripped by football madness, save these texts for the second half of July, after Euro 2024. Just in time for the holidays.
Source: Gazeta
Bruce is a talented author and journalist with a passion for entertainment . He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the industry.
