"Searching for Sugar Man" - true story or scam?

It sometimes happens that a character is larger than life. Quite rarely it so happens though that noone knows such a character. The story of "Sugar Man" Rodriguez seems pretty incredible. And so I have to check twice if that really happened. And Wikipedia says it's almost all true what's in this brilliant documentary. Of course, not all. In "Searching for Sugar Man" the Swedish director made it look like noone really remembered Rodriguez for some twenty odd years.

Watching New "Hannibal"

As the news broke that there was going to be a new version of "the adventures of Hannibal Lecter" (if you can even call it that way), I was interested, but that too much. There are so many great TV shows nowadays, that I hardly have enough time to get in touch and watch the premiere episodes.
But, when next news spread, that the new Hannibal was going to be Mads Mikkelsen, I waited impatiently on the verge of collapsing. Me being fond of Mikkelsen is not enough said, that's for sure. Just recently he has had so many great roles in such wonderful films, like "The Hunt" or "The Royal Affair" that a full TV show seemed almost too much.

"Madame" in Teatr na Woli Warszawa

Antoni Libera, one of Polish finest playwrights, essayists, translators, critics, writers and scholars, who knows a lot about Beckett, Sophocles and many others, wrote this brilliant play, "Madame" in 1998. It is, along with "Godot and his shadow" from 2009 among his most famous works.
"Madame" is a story of a teacher of French in one of the Polish high schools in the 1960s. Times are taugh in Poland then, in times of communism people cannot travel anywhere, their moves are restricted, so are the things they believe and feel. Gloomy times, hard ones too.

"Festen" by Thomas Vinterberg in TR Warszawa

The crew of TR Warszawa is getting its fame as they decide to perform most difficult and demanding, but also most popular contemporary plays. It is here one can see a 5-hour long version of  "Angels in America" by Tony Kushner (always sold out), "Faithless" by Ingmar Bergman or "T.E.O.R.E.M.A.T." based on Pier Paolo Pasolini.
This time I decided to follow the map (TR Warszawa seems not to have their fixed stage, they are moving, and currently perform in on of the most modern filming studios in Poland - ATM, in the outskirts of Warsaw) and take part in the stage version of a wonderful film directed by Thomas Vinterberg - "Festen".
The performance received raving reviews in the world, as it was shown before in many other places. This is quintessential TR Warszawa: they get even more famous abroad then in Poland. The New York Times and New York Post wrote about it, so did Suddeutsche Zeitung and Berliner Zeitung.
And "Festen" is absolutely worth all the praise it is getting.

David Bowie is... in Victoria and Albert!

"David Bowie is" is the title of the new exhibition presented in Victoria and Albert Museum in London. It opened on March 23rd, and will take place till August 11th.
It so happens, that the new David Bowie album, "The Next Day" has just had its premiere on March 11th. It is his first album in a decade and  was promoted by a wonderful clip starring Tilda Swinton, which made everyone talk about it, that's how stylish they both are.
Victoria and Albert Museum is the best possible spot to show Bowie, he is a musician, but also an actor and style-icon, always being ahead of everyone else.
As the museum states in their exhibition statement, the exhibition is the first international retrospective of Bowie's career, and includes plenty of his handwritten lyrics, costumes, fashion, photography, videos and set designs. Even his instruments! Yes, David Bowie really is...

James McAvoy is Macbeth

One of my personal favorites, the ultimate Scot James McAvoy takes a short break from filming to play a physically and psychically demanding role of King Macbeth in Shakespearean play in London's Trafalgar Studios. I might see the very last performance of it on April 27th, but I wouldn't really count on getting the ticket. We'll see. From what I hear though, it's supposed to be a very gory version, passionate and cruel.
Rumour (and The Guardian) has it, that McAvoy is under constant stress because of it, and he also couldn't stand a member of the audience filming him on his mobile phone. He halted the performance, yelled at the guy to stop immediately and then went on with his lines. I don't blame him. Not at all.
I know how great McAvoy actually is on stage, a couple years back I saw him in "Three Days of Rain", which was absolutely brilliant.
Besides, McAvoy has also another story to tell with his Macbeth, as he played Joe Macbeth in a television mini-series which retold the story of the classical drama. So, going to the same river again, must have loved it  the first time.
Anyway, "Macbeth" in Trafalgar Studios in London, for a limited season from February 9th till April 27th, 2013.
More details here.

Roy Lichtenstein in Tate Modern

Good things come to those who wait - and Lichtenstein comes in glory to Tate Modern in London, in a great retrospective. I will see it myself very soon, but since it will be there only for a very limited period of time, it is really worth reminding all of this great opportunity to catch a glimpse of this wonderful pop artist in Tate Modern. 

The exhibition called simply "Lichtenstein: A Retrospective" (details here) can bee seen from February 21st till May 27 th 2013, and the entrance is L14 (L12 concessions). 

"Spring Breakers" - Britney Spears, pink unicorns and James Franco's silver teeth

So, here it is. The one and possibly only time when I see Vanessa Hudgens and Selena Gomez on screen, and in a good movie too. But you know, with "Spring Breakers" it's like that: you either love it to death or think it's just crap. Well, perhaps for me it's not a masterpiece, but it definitely is original, unique and catches your attention. If it tells the story of how degenerated today's youth is - I doubt that. But it made me think of it, so I suppose there is something to it.
James Franco steals the show when he screams that he's got "all that shit" and that everything is his, and he has plenty of shoes, guns, money and "all that shit". This guy really is a chameleon! I've recently seen his in what - 5 films maybe? Maybe even more, and that's just this year! (there was "Lovelace", "Interior. Leather Bar", "Maladies", "Oz", now "Spring Breakers" and he's currently working on a few more things, the guy is a dynamite!)

"The New York Trilogy" by Paul Auster

Going through the books I own and haven't read yet, I realized that I do have two wonderful books by Paul Auster - one of the greatest living American authors. It's a shame noone encouraged me enough before to get to his books, but once I did, I read two at once. The first one, "The New York Trilogy" was published in 1987 in the shape we know it, meaning three shorter stories. Austers debut was published under a pseudonym "Paul Benjamin" so technically these three stories, namely "City of Glass" (1985), "Ghosts" (1986) and "The Locked Room" (1986) can be considered a true debut.

"Quartet" - a small story with huge heart

When a famous actor decides to direct his first movie, one just thinks - it's all been here before. You've seen such attempts before. Alas, there are a few actor-turned-director cases, like Clint Eastwood or Mel Gibson, where the mix really works. Or worked at least. One of the actors that recently decided to make a movie on his own is Dustin Hoffman and it's a rather late debut, one might say. Hoffman is 75, probably as old as his protagonists and it makes this even more truthful to the story.

"The Finkler Question" by Howard Jacobson

Yet another book that was quite recently awarded with the MAN Booker Prize that I find particularly trustworthy. I just finished Julian Barnes' "The Sense of an Ending" awarded in 2011, so there came time to go back and read the winner from 2010.
Howard Jacobson's book is very English, as English as may be that is. The action takes place in contemporary London, and among the Jewsih community, or shall I say, Jewish intelligentsia living in London. The main characters: Julian Treslove, a non-Jewish unsuccessful radio producer, Sam Finkler, a popular philosopher and Libor Sevcik, a Jewish Czech gossip columnist from the times when Hollywood really mattered (Libor is almost 90 at the time of the events taking place in the book).

Berlinale 2013: Best of the Best

Another great festival ended, another year will pass before the next round. This causes a certain sensation in your stomach when you know you have to wait 12 long moths for something great. There will be other festivals, of course, but Berlinale is my very special place with this very special ambience worth waiting for. There were great surprises, there were misunderstandings, there were great meetings, and lots of "firsts". Here is the last list of the things I like a lot.

Berlinale 2013: Day 10

The last day of Berlinale for me (because the festival took place also the next day, on February 17th) was a very sad one because it meant that I could only watch one movie, I had to depart already in the afternoon. So I chose a movie which I wouldn't probably see anywhere else. I picked "Hide Your Smiling Faces" that was shown in the Generation section, directed by Daniel Carbone. It is a very tender story of two boys who are faced with a great tragedy - one of his best friends commits suicide jumping off of a bridge and the boys are the ones who have found his body. They immediately find the father of the deceased responsible for the tragedy and start to make his life unbearable with childish pranks. But this is also the way for them to cope with this difficult situation. Wonderful settings, wild, mysterious places where the boys play and grieve their lost friend, it all makes perfect sense. Glad I chose it for the last bit of the Berlinale festival 2013. You should see it too. Incredible, how mature this movie is. Loved it!

34. "Hide Your Smiling Faces"

Rating: ****
More on the official website of the film.

Berlinale 2013: Day 9

The penultimate day of the Festival started with "Nobody's Daughter Haewon" directed by Hong Sang-Soo, a Korean star. His previous movies included "In Another Country" with Isabelle Huppert, which I found a little pretentious, but nevertheless somehow understand, why might he be popular. There is this certain "allen" vibe, but it is a gross misunderstanding to place the Korean in the same line with the genius New Yorker. I wasn't bored watching "Haewon", I found it pretty interesting, until the story was leading somewhere. But then it suddenly stopped and I felt like moving around with all the characters entangled in difficult mutual relationships. A nice touch to the competition, but I didn't think it could be the "it" film of the Berlinale.

Berlinale 2013: Day 8

Almost the end, but not quite. More surpsrises, like the one caused by an almost absolute beginner: Emir Baigazin from Kazakhstan presented his "Harmony Lessons" that quickly became one of the best and most appraised films of the competition. Baigazin was one of the filmmakers to take part in the Berlinale Talent Campus a few years ago, so I guess the procedure of approving people for the programme actually work really well, "Harmony Lessons" is about a school somewhere in the rural part of Kazakhstan. These places are completely unknown for us, but the director seems to know them very well. The camera moves back and forth, leaving viewers in the state of anxiety throughout the whole movie, but it's a good kind of anxiety. After all, a very nice feature debut. Watch out for the young actors - the parts they had to play were very demanding and they played beautifully.

Berlinale 2013: Day 7

Seventh day in a row filled with films and conferences, buy for the first time - also an interview. That was a huge deal. I had a chance of talking to two great guys that made a movie for children called "Eskil&Trinidad" that made it to Generation this year - Linus Oscarsson and Stephan Apelgren (who also directed few episodes of the Swedish version of "Wallander"). The filmed, which I also saw that day was really nice and peaceful, something right for my mood that day. Later, already after the thrills of a first interview, there was time for "Night Train to Lisbon" - a new film by Bille August. Jeremy Irons and Leanie Laurent are in there, but I think I was prejudiced even before I saw the film, because I also read a book by Pascal Mercier, which I didn't like too much. I generally think it was boring and sort of the same thing happened to the movie, or at least my perception of it. Anyway, Jeremy Irons gives a good performance, but the movie is rather mediocre.

Berlinale 2013: Day 6

Day 6. Everyone is quite tired already, but also full of expectation. The day started with Jafar Panahi's "Parde" which was a huge disappointment. Perhaps I didn't understand it, but then I definitely wasn't the only one. This was also the first and only time during the festival when someone booed, and suring a press screening! But sadly my opinion was largely the same. The story is about a writer who comes to a secluded villa close to the beach with his beloved dog. Apparently there is a bad on having pet dogs in Iran, and so as the writer wants to save his best friend from getting shot out, he decided to spend his days in hiding. This was a rather interesting and intriguing beginning to a rather dull story, so I'm really amazed at the incentives that drove Dieter Kosslick to put this film in the competition.

Berlinale 2013: Day 5

The best day of Berlinale so far - two of wonderful popular films that you will surely see in your local cinema, plus the absolutely brilliant competition film made it a good day in terms of cinematic surprises. The day began with a press screening of the Romanian "Child's Pose" directed by Calin Peter Netzer. This story of a wealthy woman from the upper class of the Romanian society that gets involved with her only son's lethal car accident in which an innocent child dies is practically a story about family relationships, and about who can you trust and on whom can you count in times of trouble. Luminita Gheorghiu as the main protagonist put some question marks as to whether we only have Paulina Garcia for "Gloria" in competition to win Silver Bear. She was extremely good in this.

Berlinale 2013: Day 4

The fourth day of Berlinale was filled with surprises, not always and not only positive ones. First press screening of "Gloria" by Sebastian Lelio was met with great reviews, the film was absolutely brilliant, mostly due to exceptional acting of Paulina Garcia - who later was awarded the SIlver Bear for the Best Actress of the festival. There was no doubts about it and the film was equally well made.
Later a weird new James Franco project, "Maladies" with Catherine Keener and David Strathairn. I was confused and irritated for the most part of it, although usually I am very for everything James Franco does. I just think that his innovative and creative projects are just necessary for modern, or post-modern cinema. But "Maladies" perhaps wasn't the best example of a successful experiment.

Berlinale 2013: Day 3

Today I saw "A Long and Happy Life", "Lovelace", "The Necessary Death of Charlie Countryman" but the stage was won undoubtedly by the cast of "Les Miserables" on a press conference!
My full report in Polish to be found on FilmNews.

Berlinale 2013: Day 2

And Day 2 was opened by first in-competition viewings, with Polish "In the Name Of..." as the first one, "Don Jon's Addiction" and "Paradise: Hope" follow.
You can read my full report of the second day of Berlinale also here (but in Polish) FilmNews.

Berlinale 2013: Day 1

It's been a crazy February, that begun where all Februarys should - in Berlin, watching loads of films. It comes as no surprise that after two intensive weeks of a film festival, you need at least two more to get over it, and so I did. Here I'll just share short reviews of the 35 (!) films I saw, along with the rating that I decided to introduce, the scale is 1-6, 1 being poor and simply load of rubbish, 6 being just legendary, which you might not see often. Let's begin.

The Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize

One of my favorite galleries in London, the National Portrait Gallery is the proud home of some of the most exquisite examples of the art of portrait. Every year it holds countless wonderful exhibitions. I like BP Portrait Award perhaps even more, because of the extraordinary use of paints and brushes by those masterful artists, but nevertheless, the level of photographs in the Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize makes you want to see more and more and more. Below are a few examples of this year's rich exhibition, that takes place only until February 17th, 2013, so get there at once!
For more information: The Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize.

"Lincoln" - a conservative take on the Civil War

A great history lesson, indeed. Is there more to the latest film directed by Steven Spielberg than just history? The first hour or so makes me think of TV midday docu-dramas that are watched by housewives/ househusbands and retirees. But then it gets better, when Daniel Day - Lewis has his speeches as the 16th US President Abraham Lincoln. Unbelievable, what can Day - Lewis do with any of his roles. He changes so dramatically, that when I just recently watched "The Last of the Mohicans" he was not recognisable any more. The specific manner of speaking, the "h-why's" or "h-where's," the way he walked and the way his side-face looked like, quite remarkable.
This is what's best about the film - the actors. Tommy Lee - Jones does not really fit with his awkward wig, but nevertheless, his performance inevitably reminds me of his look at the Golden Globe ceremony - vide the grumpy cat. Sally Field has her moments, so does Joseph Gordon - Levitt, playing Lincoln's eldest son.
Obviously I loved the cinematography, not just because I'm a fan of Janusz Kaminski. His takes don't change too much over the years, but they just add so much to the story! This time the dream sequences were done really masterfully. Tony Kushner, the screenwriter undoubtedly knows his score, but perhaps he should work on the story a bit more. How is it possible that the most important events of the Civil War were shown in such a way that I looked on my watch once or twice? And in a Spielberg movie? But fortunately, when the first hour or so was over, the rest of the movie was really gripping and really in the style of Spielberg's finest achievements.
A great review is available in The New Yorker.

"The Sense of an Ending" by Julian Barnes

I got interested in Julian Barnes' works long after he was awarded Booker Prize for "The Sense of an Ending," but he already became one of my favorite authors. His prose I would call "quintessentially British" if there ever was anything like that. He weighs words very carefully, his metaphors urge to think of literary genius. In Barnes' books everything matters and all is of consequence.
"The Sense of an Ending" seemingly is a short novel about friendship and mysteries that are discovered years after they actually happened. The pace is rather slow, and the complexity of relationships described in much detail, which makes you believe in genius of this contemporary master of written word - Julian Barnes.
The book is about the life of Anthony Webster and described by himself. His early school years, college, first  girlfriends, sexual conquests, and his three school friends. Reflections of the past haunt Tony as he receives an intriguing inheritance and realizes that his past never had a real closure.
"The Sense of an Ending" had its premiere in August 2011, and received Man Booker Prize.
The other works of Julian Barnes (there are 11 under his own name) include "Flaubert's Parrot," "Arthur and George," "England, England." Recommended!

"Broken" - small film, great emotions

Not very often it so happens that a film moves you so much you don't know whether to laugh or cry. "Broken", a directorial feature debut of Rufus Norris, is one of those rare examples of such films.
Set in the outskirts of London, somewhere in the North, tells a story of a 11-year-old Skunk - a normal, maybe a little smarter than the rest, teenager. Her father is a busy lawyer, her older brother is already into girls. She has diabetes and deals with it best she can. On the same crescent, there live two other families, each one with specific problems. Skunk has a crush on her English teacher (who wouldn't - it's Cillian Murphy we're talking about!), who happens to be her Polish au pair's boyfriend.
"Broken" is very intimate, mature, gentle, but at the same time it presents life as it is: with all its ups and downs, all the embarassments, sadness and joy. Perhaps it also is a Bildungsroman, a coming-of-age story of little Skunk, who deals with matters bigger than herself. Perhaps you see echoes of "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, and such juxtapositions would be justified as well.
"Broken" has just recently won the Independent British Film Award for best independent picture, and Rory Kinnear got the award as well. Eloise Laurence, an exceptional lady, made her debut here as well as Rufus Norris, but you would think she was just born to act.
The review in Polish is to be found on FilmNews or below.

Bakery: Breakfast Rolls

To make these breakfast rolls you only need some yeast, flour, milk, sugar, one egg, some butter and salt. These many ingredients make the best 12 - or more delicious breakfast buns that do not require too much time to grow. If you wake up early enough, it might be a great base for a perfect late breakfast!
Recipe in Polish
Recipe in English
Below a quick introductory in pictures.

"Django Unchained" - brilliant acting and more

Although the movie is in the cinemas worldwide for some time now, and I've seen it around 3 weeks ago too, it is finally time to discuss it, briefly at least, before everyone's eyes are turned to Berlin next week.
Quentin Tarantino remains one of my favorite directors ever for his wit, extravagant ideas, mixing all the genras together, and the attachment to detail. Above all, I like his scripts and music he chooses. He doesn't have to ask anyone for their opinion now, unlike in the beginnings of his career. With the premieres of "Reservoir Dogs," "Pulp Fiction," "True Romance" (script) and "Inglorious Basterds" he himself is able to decide on the terms of cooperation. And you can see it all in "Django Unchained." Although there were people in Hollywood who protested Tarantino approaching the topic of slavery (Spike Lee) he did it his own way. He told the story of a certain slave (Jamie Foxx) who had more brains than most of his masters, and a certain German dentist (recklessly played by an Austrian Christoph Waltz) who becomes a bounty hunter. His adventures lead them to a slave owner (Leonardo DiCaprio) who owns Broomhilda, Django's wife. There will be blood, as classics say.
The story is intriguing and witty. Main characters played with bravado and intelligence, exceptional Tarantino's discovery - Christoph Waltz makes a wonderful appearance, same goes for DiCaprio. If one should like to choose between Tarantino's two last films, it would be my recommendation to start with "Django Unchained" and then the "Basterds", but in my opinion the latter is still a wee bit better.
All in all, Quentin Tarantino keeps in shape, he rediscovers US history with a twist. Worth seeing!

Peter Bradshaw writes about the film for "The Guardian"

Review from "The New York Times"

Sundance! "Fruitvale" nails it

One of the most beloved film festivals around the world, that promotes above all independent cinema, which you're not always likely to see on big screens in your country. Nevertheless, here it is all about small films. Films that cherish great stories, intimate atmosphere and climate for in-depth discussions.
It so happens that the movies that win Sundance are usually the ones that public loves, like "Little Miss Sunshine," "Juno," or "Beasts of the Southern Wild" from last year.
Too bad Utah is so far away. Good films to be seen. Sundance Film Festival is almost over however, it takes place from 19th till 29th January 2013.
Below is the full list of films in competition AND THE WINNERS. We'll surely hear a lot about them in the nearest future!

"The Human Stain" by Philip Roth

Philip Roth, one of the greatest writers alive, remains one of my personal favorite authors. For his outstanding  work he received many awards in his lifetime, but is still waiting in the line to get his Nobel Prize. Roth has written a lot over the years, and just recently he announced that he is retiring, what caused a considerable stir in the literary world. His best known works include "Portnoy's Complaint (1969)," "American Pastoral (1997)," "I Married a Communist" (1998), "The Human Stain" (2000), "The Plot Against America" (2004). Just recently I finished two books in a row, first "A Plot Against America" and now "The Human Stain."
"The Human Stain" is a book about a seventy-year-old classics professor Coleman Silk living in 1990s New England. There is the whole Clinton-Lewinsky scandal in the background, but most importantly there are intriguing themes of modern-day racism, love affairs, illiteracy, feminism, race and many more.

The way Roth writes about all these things makes you wonder where does he get all his brilliant ideas from. In this story there are more skeletons in the closets you might possibly imagine. One cannot call it an enjoyable read (as there are too many important themes written about to enjoy the story), but nevertheless, "The Human Stain" is gripping, witty, and tells you more about the great American society than you ever wanted to know. Recommended to all those who always wanted more from literature.

The book was adapted as quite a successful film starring Anthony Hopkins as Coleman Silk, Nicole Kidman as Faunia Farley (lover of Silk's) and Gary Sinise as Nathan Zuckerman, the narrator, Ed Harris as Lester Farley (Faunia's ex-husband) and Wentworth Miller (as young Coleman Silk), directed by Robert Benton.

A review from "The New York Times"
A review from "The Guardian"

Berlinale Competition 2013 now complete

In just about two weeks, all the eyes of frequent moviegoers, will be turned to Berlin, and one of the most famous international film festivals there are. Berlinale, with its 63-year-old history is one of the oldest festivals, and often with the best selection of films. Here is the complete list of the titles that will be shown in the competition section of the 63rd IFF Berlinale 2013, that starts on February 7th 2013. Below, also a full list of the movies in the Panorama section.

Roddy Doyle "The Commitments"

Doyle has been one of my favorite Irish writers since I visited Dublin a couple years back. Of course, the Irish would always say that Dublin is not Ireland, but well, it's the capital, innit?
Well, so far I've read just three works of his, but nevertheless, I remain a devoted supporter. Of the the three books I have ["The Woman Who Walked Into Doors," (1996) "A Star Called Henry" (1999) and "The Commitments" (1987)] I like "A Star Called Henry" best, but "The Commitments," Doyle's first book, shows  some characteristics of his distinct style.
"The Commitments" is a story of a fictional Irish soul band, members of which, with one exception, are young, unemployed and living in the north side of Dublin. Up to here their story is kind of similar to the one from "The Full Monty," so if you enjoyed the tale of entrepreneurial unemployed Brits, that story might be just what you're looking for.
"The Commitments" end up splitting, but they achieved a minor success when they were still a band. Most importantly, it brought him much joy to perform. The short story (it's not really a novel) was also turned into a successful movie in 1991. On the cover of my book it says that both the book and the movie are "cult" nowadays, but I think it's rather an overstatement. Lots of books are called "cult" these days, which doesn't necessarily make them so. Neverthless, an entertaining read.
Here, on BBC you can listen to Roddy Doyle discuss "The Commitments" in 2004.

Bakery: Cracker? What Cracker?

Although "Bakery" usually suggests new kinds of cakes and pastries for all the "sweet teeth" in the world, this is the time to recommend a savoury snack, very easy to make, and so delicious, you might never again think of buying them again. Crackers. There is cheese inside, but it is not very easy to recognize the taste, especially if you add spices (unless you used some very particular kind of cheese). My crackers are topped with chilli, garlic salt, and some are made with poppy seed (added to the dough). Some are left natural and they are equally delicious. Out of this recipe, around as much as a hundred little crackers can be made!
A lovely recipe in English can be found here. Enjoy!

Eduardo Kac waters plants with his blood

Someone told me during a lecture on technophobias and cyborgs that there is an artist or, should I call him, bio-engineer, who makes experiments on living things, which he then calls art. Well, I wouldn't be so sure about it, but since I'm very open-minded about art, there must be something to it. This artist is namely Eduardo Kac, an American contemporary artist, who has been experimenting since the 1990. For example, one of his projects included himself having implanted a microchip inside his own body (he was then one of the first people to do such a thing). One of his most famous works was entitled "Alba", which was a rabbit. Kac implanted a green fluorescent protein inside the rabbit, a specific gene from a jellyfish, which made the rabbit green-fluorescent (creepy!). No one knows if the rabbit is still alive though.

"The Sessions" - triumphant John Hawkes

Once in a while there is a movie that changes your perspective on things. For some it was "Untouchables" last year. To me, it was ok and optimistic and generally a success, but it nevetheless lacked something. Where "Untouchables" lacked, "The Sessions" are winning.
Ben Lewin's feature is about Mark O'Brien, a 40-year-old disabled journalist. Actually, Mark is attached to his bed due to this horrible polio disease that took his ability in the early childhood age ("polio" as in "Roosevelt's polio" as well). Because Mark is disabled, he hasn't also many opportunities in life in which he could physically experience love, and so, on the verge of turning "40" he decided that he doesn't want to be a virgin anymore. Obviously, it's not easy to find him the right partner and friends turn his attention towards an experienced "surrogate" or "sex-therapist" that is supposed to help Mark face his fears and reach fulfillment, also sexually.
Lewin's movie is very subtle. There is no simplifying vulgarity and obscenity like in "40-year-old virgin." Here everything is shown in a delicate, sensitive way. Helen Hunt and John Hawkes accompanied by brilliant William H. Macy as a catholic priest create a super-ensemble for such a story. Emphasizig just the right accords, showing the right feelings, pulling the right strings. Far better than pretty much everything you've seen on mature sexuality there is.
For my extended review in Polish scroll down or go to FilmNews.
Check also Roger Ebert's review.

"Ceasar Must Die"

The latest movie by the Taviani brothers won last year's Berlinale, but only now it arrives in Poland and some other countries on the continent. It is a difficult docu-drama set in a prison, where the prisoners are about to perform one of William Shakespeare's drama, "Julius Ceasar." They are simple people with simple minds, but they understand enough about brotherhood, blood, killing and power. This is why a theatrical play rises questions and undiscovered emotions. Interestingly enough, the movie was set in Rebibbia, a famous prison when Ali Agca was an inmate for some time as well.
When "Ceasar Must Die" was shown in Berlin, in brought different emotions into daylight. Some reviewers said it was an easy choice of the Jury (led then by Mike Leigh). I wasn't a real fan of the picture either, but it actually gained new meaning some time after I saw it.
Really what astonishes in the film most, are the scenes of the casting. There are dozens of prisoners, all wanting to be in the play desperately, all speaking different accents, all there because of a terrible crime. And surprisingly enough, all very open-minded about theatre. One of the prisoners (Salvatore Striano playing Brutus) after leavinf prison, became a professional actors. Food for Thought.
More in The Guardian and The Hollywood Reporter.
My review was published on FilmNews, you can also scroll down.

Golden Globe Winners

There were no real surprises, the winners had to win, the loosers will lose as it was meant to be. For the 100th time it seems that the people with most friends in Hollywood were bound to win. And that's okay. That's how it always looked like in the ultimate Dream Factory. And the viewers all around the world had a great opportunity to see all the latest fashions on the red carpet, something that we all will be re-living for the next couple of weeks, when we'll see all of them again on another red carpet watching the Oscars.
Nevertheless, Mel Gibson is out and running again, Tommy Lee Jones has been named the ultimate owner of the grumpy cat that has conquered the net (Jones being the only one in the audience that hasn't laughed once throughout the whole ceremony), Jodie Foster had her coming-out although the whole world already knew what's cookin' in her private life. She looked stunning by the way, getting her lifetime achievement Cecil B. DeMille award. Adele with her Globe high-fived super-cool Daniel Craig and was astonishingly normal. She's a Brit, that's why. The hostesses were really cool. Overall, a nice night to remember.
Oh, and Ben Affleck got awards too! Can't say I'm disappointed, because I liked "Argo", but it means that he will possibly be left out at the Oscars. Too bad.

Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, hostesses of the ceremony

Bakery: Cheesecake with Peaches

This time something relatively sweet and delicate. Perfect for a party or casual family meeting. Easy and relatively quick to make, delicious and soft. Out of the proportions from the recipe I used (available in Polish here, in English it might be something like this, but one has to bear in mind that the cheese I use is curd cheese, which is different from cream cheese. Also the recipe in English is without the upper topping, which I made). The preparation of cheesecake layers in short goes like this: crust, cheese, peaches (sliced), soft meringue (made with egg whites and sugar), and upper crust. Baked for 1 hour, it is a delicious all-time favorite dessert. Enjoy!

Refreshing Oscar nominations

Here they are! Finally the nominations for this year's Oscars  are there, a few positive surprises as well. Of course, the nomination for Janusz Kaminski, for best cinematography is always good news, but the Academy has made some unobvious choices, like nominating "Beasts of the Southern Wild" for Best Picture, directing, and best female act, of the tiny Quvenzhané Wallis. Too bad, " Moonrise Kingdom" was not nominated for more awards, let's hope Wes Anderson at least gets best screenplay. Absolutely well deserved. I have a feeling that nominating "Amour" so many times is the expression of cherishing older generations rather than the film itself. Don't get me wrong. It was a  very good movie, but totally and absolutely not an "Oscar" one. Maybe for Best Foreign Picture. Though I'd vote for "The Royal Affair." By the nominations I put marks, where I think the person or movie will or should win, and the marks are of course very subjective. Sometimes I'm sure the movie won't get it, but I nevertheless mark it. How do I know such things? It's just over the years, the Academy has shown, that not always best films win, and that's that. But so far, this year it is actually a good set of nominees...
Full list of nominees available here, in The Guardian, or on the official webpage.

Razzies are back in town

The Golden Raspberry Award, aka "Razzies" are what actors and filmmakers usually dread the most. It is the most unwelcome award that there is, but some, as for instance Sandra Bullock, show a lot of sense of humor and distance to her roles, by appearing at the Razzie ceremony. There are the obvious winners like Sylvester Stallone, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Nicolas Cage or Ben Affleck, but lately, since there were so many movies in the saga, the fab duo Robert Pattinson - Kristen Stewart and their "movie" Twilight tend to get every Razzie there is. Interestingly enough, this year the movie has been nominated in every Razzie category, which makes chances of winning a few actual Razzies pretty high. Since I haven't seen the movie (in fact, just 20 minutes of the very first part), it is hard for me to judge. I think I'll take the Razzie Academy's word for the quality of performances. More from Indiewire.

BAFTA nominations 2013 announced

Today, on January 9th 2013, at "the ungodly hour" of 7.30 as "Empire" magazine calls it, the BAFTA nominations were announced. BAFTAs are one of my favorite awards, not only because they are British, but also, as I recently found out, the British Academy of Film and Television Arts is actually a charity that hosts annual  awards. BAFTA as the British Film Academy was founded in 1947 by David Lean, Alexander Korda, Carol Reed and others.
Usually the award ceremony takes place somewhere around the beginning of February, when the Berlinale also takes place. This year it will be February 10th at the Royal Opera House in London.
More from The Telegraph, The Guardian and full list here from the BAFTA's website.
Beside each nominated person or movie I put a mark to underline my own favorites for the awards. Some of the nominated films I have not yet seen, but they might be the most possible winners.

Bakery: Christmas Poppy Cake

Creme-de-la creme of all typical Polish Christmas cakes that includes yeast cake and ground poppy seed. It takes time and patience to wait for it to grow in a warm kitchen, under a linen cloth. It is not easy to make, but the flavor of success makes up for it. Try to follow the recipe, especially with the times that the cake has to be left aside and grow, and breathe. After baking, decorate it with a topping of your choice, mine are always with orange peel and icing. The cake stays fresh for a long time, as the poppy seed filling is moist and delicious, but frankly, it's so tasty that it wouldn't last more than three days, I grant that. And there are three medium-sized separate cakes out of this first recipe in Polish, available here and in English (for two rolls) here.

"Argo" - unexpectedly well directed political thriller

When the name "Ben Affleck" appear on the screen, one usually knows what to expect. Affleck as an actor does not really get many compliments. But when he decides to direct others - ah - that's a different story. His several other projects have brought him exactly to the place he is at right now. Praised and awarded, established, well-to-do, influential director - that's what he is, when promoting "Argo." The movie itself is a wonderful political thriller with solid background actors: magnificent John Goodman and Alan Arkin, along with Bryan Cranston, Tate Donovan and Scoot McNairy. Affleck plays the main character, but although his acting lacks passion and vigour, he doesn't spoil everything.
"Argo" is about a very imaginative covert operation led by the CIA in the beginning of 1980 in Tehran (Iran). Historians will remember that it was an extremely difficult time to be American and be there personally, as Shah Reza Pahlavi, supported by the US had to flee Iran and leave the spot for Ajatollah Khomeini - a religious and political leader. The hostage situation in an American embassy requires certain controversial actions from the CIA, and exfil agent Tony Mendez (Affleck) thinks of an ingenious plan to get the six escapees currently living in the house of Canadian ambassador out of Tehran safely. In order to do that, he establishes a hoax production of a B-class sci-fi movie called "Argo," that is supposed to be shot in locations around Tehran.
The movie is very enjoyable and thrilling to watch, although critics say it's rather nationalistic and one-sided. Of course it doesn't tell the whole story, it's just inspired by real events, but nevertheless one can sense the echoing of "All the President's Men" and "Munich," and that actually is the best recommendation there is.
My review here.

"After Lucia" - so close yet so far away

A very intimate, but brutal deconstruction of grief. After a tragedy consolation never really comes. It's just the way one wants to deal with the reality. Alejandra and her father Roberto can't really find things in common after the mother and wife is gone forever. They grow farther apart, leading separate lives. The new film directed by Michel Franco irritates because it shows that in times of trouble everyone is on their own. It irritates, because even being close to one another, it is impossible sometimes to notice there is something very much wrong.
"After Lucia" is a very powerful image of how one can actually deal with loss, but most importantly it's about how people hurt and get hurt. It's about the fault of the whole society that makes everyone very distant and cold, even  if a great tragedy is around the corner.
"After Lucia" is very difficult to grade. It's difficult to say whether it is a good or a bad film. It's shocking and very real at the same time. but extremely powerful.
One is for sure, you' ll feel bad after seeing it, but who knows, maybe also cleansed.
My review from filmnews.com.pl can be found here and below, in Polish.

Movies you wait for in 2013

There surely is a lot to wish for in the upcoming 2013, but certainly one of the most important things to wish is a bunch of great films. Stop wishing then and have a look at the list of movies that will have their premieres quite soon, presented by Total Film.

1. "Gangster Squad"
with Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, Josh Brolin, Sean Penn