The second Joker, which is flirting with a musical, should be a hit in cinemas at the beginning of October, but so far it is receiving very lukewarm reviews and not much praise. However, it has no comparable competition, so it has a paved path to success.
Joker: Folie à Deux (Joker: Foil for two) (Vertical Entertainment)
© CSFD Five years ago, the comic-book dark thriller set in the 1970s became an unexpected hit and scored points at the Oscars, and immediately there was talk of a sequel. But no one wanted to do that, so in the end the studio had to rattle off the gold coins, investing roughly two hundred (!) million to persuade the creator. Now the director and co-writer Todd Phillips and the representative of the main role Joaquin Phoenix are returning, who brought together, among others, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson and Steve Coogan. However, the first reactions are overwhelming and speak of a completely unnecessary and empty spectacle that does not use the potential of a strong female character, nor of the musical inserts, which are allegedly quite lazy. We’ll see if the Czech audience takes cinemas by storm or prefers something else. Premiere of the week.
Synopsis: Failed comedian Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) is incarcerated in Arkham Prison, where he meets the love of his life, Harley Quinn (Lady Gaga). At the same time, he struggles with his dual identity and quite unexpectedly discovers the music he carries inside him.
Interesting fact: The hard-to-pronounce subtitle of the film in Czech means Madness of two.
Český trailer filmu Joker: Folie à Deux / Joker: Folie à Deuxanother person (A Different Man) (CinemArt)
© CSFD The unobtrusive thriller, which occasionally jumps into another genre, was already shown at this year’s Karlovy Vary festival and, according to the synopsis, it looks quite interesting. This is also confirmed by the available reviews, which mention the overall bizarreness (in a positive sense of the word) and a strong message regarding the duality of the personality and some social criticism. The director and screenwriter is the still little-known Aaron Schimberg, for whom this could be a breakthrough, Sebastian Stan will appear in the main role. More experienced viewers could also be attracted by the production studio A24, which rarely misses a beat. Probably the most interesting premiere of the week.
Synopsis: Edward (Sebastian Stan) is a vivacious actor whose occasional roles are mainly helped by his face disfigured by a serious illness. He’s already used to the fact that most people look at him as a monster, but he’s happy when sometimes there’s someone who is interested in his nature as well. One of them is his slightly eccentric neighbor Ingrid (Renate Reinsve), a budding theater director who would very much like to write a play about Edward’s life. However, he himself decides to undergo an experimental surgical procedure that promises to make him a different person. The operation goes well and Edward suddenly looks like an average American. However, he soon realizes that mediocrity is a curse, and the loss of exceptionality, even if it is perceived negatively by those around him, he misses more than he himself expected.
Interesting fact: Filming took twenty-two days.
Czech trailer for the movie A Different Man
Caligula (Caligula) (Film Europe)
© Film Europe For a very limited time, one of the most scandalous films of all time, which in its time shocked with its complete sexual openness, is returning to cinemas. In it, the director Tinto Brass tried to capture the decline of the Roman Empire with all its depravities, which he depicted on the emperor, who was far from sane and turned the court into one big orgy. In addition, those interested can watch the so-called The Ultimate Cut, which is full of frankly pornographic scenes and violent moments, which, however, are a bit superficial and unfortunately take away from the story, which is full of holes and not very interesting. Malcolm McDowell shone in the title role, complemented by Peter O’Toole, John Gielgud, Teresa Ann Savoy or Helen Mirren. A premiere for connoisseurs, who should treat themselves to a screening followed by a discussion.
Synopsis: Caligula (Malcolm McDowell) is a completely twisted man who will do absolutely anything to get to the throne of Rome. He succeeds in this after a series of various intrigues and begins a period in which Rome is dominated by sex, violence and betrayal, and the detachment from ordinary people is absolute. Orgies are the order of the day and the empire continues to decline. Will there be anyone to stop the monarch?
Interesting fact: The pornographic scenes were not directed by Brass, who on the contrary renounced the film because of them.
Czech trailer of the movie Caligula / Caligola
Buffalo Kids (Buffalo Kids) (Bohemia MP)
© Bohemia Motion Pictures Animations are one of the most rewarding genres, which is why we come across something new almost every week. This time it’s a Spanish one, which from the synopsis already looks like a dozen and predictable, but that often doesn’t matter. In terms of information, however, it is not possible to write much about it, because there are no ratings yet and the direction was provided by Juan Jesús García Galocha, who was assisted by the debutant Pedro Solís García. A premiere that has no meaning without children.
Synopsis: Mary and Tom are Irish orphans who sail to New York, where an uncle is waiting for them to take care of them. However, there is no sign of him at the port, so the children decide to go to California to find him on their own. They get on a train going across America, but since they have no money, they discreetly join a group of orphans traveling for a new home on the opposite side of the country. So they set out on an adventure with an unclear ending.
Czech trailer for the film Buffalo Kids / Buffalo Kids
The Great Lord (Etiquette film)
© CSFD The puppet film is a follow-up to a nine-year-old work that was very popular in its time and collected one award after another. And there is no reason to think that it should be any different now, since Radek Beran returned to directing, so at least the visual aspect should be on the same level. The reviews so far, which are certainly not many, are generally enthusiastic, so it seems that the creators did not step aside and followed up on the previous film without any problems. In addition, viewers will hear relatively stellar voices. A premiere that even adults can go to.
Synopsis: Little Lord enjoys social life in the forest village, runs a kiosk with his beloved Majolenko, and founded a band with his friends. But the idyll is disturbed enough by reports of strange Deermen threatening the inhabitants of the forest. In addition, the strange Dr. Zetek and his omnipresent televisions arouse suspicion. The robots, which are supposed to help the inhabitants of the forest, are also rather worried, and fear and panic will soon take over the forest. The Little Lord will have to overcome his fear in order to save his beloved Majolena, his friends and his home.
The original trailer of the movie The Big Man
I’m not yet who I want to be (Aerofilms)
© CSFD The documentary about the Czech photographer, who is better known in the world than at home, was also shown at the Karlovy Vary festival, where it received a warm reception and the responses are still very enthusiastic. He particularly praises the fact that the director and co-screenwriter Klára Tasovská conceived it as one big collage and assembled it entirely from photographs taken by the artist and underlined it with sound by reading from her diary. There are also very strong emotions and the universal theme of the fight for freedom and the search for inner satisfaction, which resonates throughout the film. It is also worth mentioning that the film, as one of the few documents, fully deserves to be shown on the big screen. Premiere (not only) for lovers of movie medallions.
Synopsis: Libuše Jarcovjáková is a legend of world photography and an unrestrained woman who defied all conventions. Her life is a practically never-ending mosaic of fascinating encounters and wild stories. She lived through the communist underground, had the honor of photographing fashionistas in Tokyo and dramatically fled to West Berlin, where she finally witnessed the fall of the Iron Curtain.
Interesting fact: Jarcovjáková hid the first two diaries from her childhood so carefully that she never found them, which is why the film does not begin until she was seventeen.
The original trailer of the film I’m not yet who I want to be
