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Bolero (2024)
The Story of a Great Composer Whose Music is Known by Everyone
The film tells the story of a great composer: Maurice Ravel, the author of "Boléro", the masterpiece ballet. But we find out from the film that the legendary creator didn't want to be known just for this music. He wrote many more musical works. And he didn't write even more works before his life was ruined by a car accident and subsequent failed brain surgery led to his death. The last thing he will hear will be his most popular work, which continues to be heard in every corner of the Earth. Maybe you're not related to the music and the art so you might not hear anything about Maurice Ravel, but there's no doubt you've heard the very tune for many times in your life and it's why you need to know the story told by this film.
Zulu (1964)
Colonial Point of View that Glorifies the Invaders
This is a beautiful and action-packed film. I appreciated the costumes and sets. Unfortunately, I cannot call the film anti-colonial. It actually glorifies British colonial conquests.
We see bright British characters against the background of faceless Zulu warriors. The authors of the film chose a battle of the Anglo-Zulu War, where the Zulus greatly outnumbered the small British garrison. Despite the numerical superiority of the Zulus, the British win a heroic victory.
Some Zulus had firearms, but most were armed only with spears, being easy prey for guns. This fact is reflected in the film, but the whole tragedy of the situation is not emphasised enough.
The film completely ignores the fact that the British entered the land of the Zulus who are actually waging a defensive war.
Rocky Road to Berlin (2024)
A Masterpiece Full of Music and Humour
The film is a masterpiece full of music and humour. I'd like to highlight the brilliant cinematography. I've been astonished the Ukrainians managed to release a film of such high quality during the war. Not every Hollywood movie can compete with this work of art.
The songs, well known to every Ukrainian and friend of Ukraine, create a special atmosphere, although they sound in a new performance.
What choice will the main character make? The film keeps the intrigue from the beginning to the very end. And the audience, holding their breath, cheers for him to choose himself.
I watched the film in a cinema in Kyiv and not a single audience member got up and left until the final credits rolled. Why? Watch the film for yourself and find out.
Luxembourg, Luxembourg (2022)
Non-inclusive and predictable, but not bad at all
Not bad at all. I watched this movie with pleasure and noticed the creators' great attention to detail. I'm all the more sorry that the film was disappointing in some aspects.
Minus one point for non-inclusive portrayal of people with mental disorders. There's a scene where police arrest a man who has just been discharged from a mental hospital and is beating his wife. This doesn't correspond to modern ideas about respect for differently abled people.
Minus one point for making fun of women on maternity leave. Women and men who raise small children also deserve respect, not ridicule, even indirectly.
And minus one point for the predictability of the plot. The ending was too predictable.
Molytva za hetmana Mazepu (2002)
The Ukrainian Postmodernism
"A Prayer for Hetman Mazepa" is a very strong movie which belongs to the Ukrainian postmodernism.
It is courageous and opens eyes to our history. Some historical events described in the film were completely unfamiliar to me. I love that the film is unbiased. Historical figures are shown as multifaceted. There is no black and white game.
Now this movie is more relevant than ever. We see history repeating itself. The genocide in Baturyn continues in the 21st century with the genocide in Bucha.
I think it's time to remove any unspoken taboos about this film and finally give it the green light because it is part of the Ukrainian civilizational choice.