Paul Goscicki

Movie reviews

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February, 2012
Take Shelter (2011) 4.5/5
2012-02-02 23:10

Excellent! Loved Michael Shannon in the "is he really crazy or maybe not?" role.
0.3
Le Havre / A Man from Havre (2011) 4/5
2012-02-01 23:05

Good, somewhat typical Aki Kaurismäki. Simple story, simple, but very authentic characters. No twists and turns. Just a quiet drama about normal life.
0.3
January, 2012
Une vie de chat / A Cat in Paris (2010) 3.5/5
2012-01-31 23:05

Good, but too simplistic/too childish. Liked the style, though, but I have to say I still prefer $100M budget Pixar animations. Unfortunately.
0.3
Skhizein (2008) 4/5
2012-01-31 21:45

Very creative, that's for sure. I was imagining myself trying to cope with being 91cm "off".
0.3
3 Idiots (2009) 4/5
2012-01-30 23:10

Just another Bollywood fairytale for grownups. Sure, it's better than most others, but it's still full of those unbelievable situations/stories created solely that the main protagonist can "show off". Everything is just too good/too beautiful/too improbable. But the emotions are there and that's the most important thing.
0.3
A Dangerous Method (2011) 3/5
2012-01-29 23:05

Good, although very long and full of intellectual talk, that you really need to concentrate your attention on. Perhaps a little bit disappointing as the underlying story is, well, simple.
0.3
C'est pas moi, je le jure! / It's Not Me, I... 4/5
2012-01-28 22:45

Very good. Breaking, destroying, not listening to anyone and then lying, cheating, coming up with excuses every time. In other words, your almost "usual" childhood.
0.3
The Sunset Limited (TV 2011) 2/5
2012-01-27 23:10

So-so. A little bit boring, dragging on and without any satisfying finish.
0.3
L'homme qui voulait vivre sa vie / The Big Picture... 4/5
2012-01-26 23:40

Decent story. Escape in order to find yourself.
0.3
L'affaire Farewell / Farewell (2009) 4/5
2012-01-25 23:15

Great espionage drama slash thriller. What's even more surprising is that it's based on facts.
0.3
Anonymous (2011) 5/5
2012-01-24 23:34

Excellent! Had a really great time watching the answer to the question of "Who Shakespear really was". Even though it's only a hypothesis, it's a really good one!
0.3
In Time (2011) 4/5
2012-01-23 23:03

Sure, it's really, really stupid. There are so many loopholes and things plainly stupid, that it made me cringe at least a dozen times. Yet it somehow manages to capture my full attention in following the action. And sure, it's modern Bonny & Clide, but it's still good! And very much enjoyable.
0.3
San taam / Mad Detective (2007) 2.5/5
2012-01-16 23:20

Very so-so. Too absurd as for my tastes.
0.3
Shi / Poetry (2010) 2/5
2012-01-15 23:03

A little bit boring and dragging on. The pace just isn't there, so you loose your focus quickly. It has some value, sure, but it's not my type of cinema.
0.3
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011) 4.5/5
2012-01-14 23:20

Great espionage thriller, which forces your brain into the overdrive mode, so you can follow the fast paced action as it unfolds. Note however, that there are hardly any shootings. This is intentional, as it's more about cat & mouse game, not about killing.
0.3
Hævnen (2010) 5/5
2012-01-13 23:20

Excellent! Difficult movie asking the right questions about what it is to be human, a man to be precise. Do we always need to seek revenge? Is vengeance a part of our DNA? Or maybe we can have a "better world" if we can try to eliminate it.
0.3
Real Steel (2011) 0.5/5
2012-01-12 23:05

Complete utter crap. Ridiculously stupid. Totally predictable from start to finish. Do yourself a favor and avoid.
0.3
Killer Elite (2011) 3.5/5
2012-01-11 22:55

Very decent action flick. I was really surprised to see it was based on real events, but as such, it was not concluded in the usual Hollywood style, i.e. we don't really know what has happened with the main characters after the end of the movie.
0.3
La tigre e la neve / The Tiger and the Snow (2005) 3/5
2012-01-11 10:43

A poetic love story or simpler, a fairytale. Ok, but nothing extraordinary, unless you love Roberto Benigni that is.
0.3
Kret / The Mole (2011) 4.5/5
2012-01-09 22:50

Very good! Love those new Polish movies dealing with the Communist regime before 1989 in Poland.
0.3
50/50 (2011) 4.5/5
2012-01-08 23:17

Excellent watch! Great touching story, loved (as is usually the case) Seth Rogen's performance.
0.3
Puncture (2011) 4/5
2012-01-07 22:50

Decent.
0.3
3 (2010) 3.5/5
2012-01-03 23:17

Just a good love-triangle story.
0.3
Kongen av Bastøy / King of Devil's Island (2010) 4/5
2012-01-02 23:24

Very good! Although very sad in the end as well. And somewhat unsatisfying as we don't know what has happened after 1915 with the Bastøy.
0.3
Rapt (2009) 4/5
2012-01-01 23:16

Very decent, although the ending left a little to be desired.
0.3
December, 2011
Rundskop / Bullhead (2011) 4/5
2011-12-31 23:30

Pretty powerful, although the plot feels somewhat disjointed at times.
0.3
Le gamin au vélo / The Kid with a Bike (2011) 4.5/5
2011-12-30 22:45

Very good! For me it captured really well what upbringing really is about (i.e. a mixture of trust, patience and forgiveness).
0.3
The Inbetweeners Movie (2011) 1.5/5
2011-12-29 22:05

Should've skipped that one. If only I knew it was based on a series... Just too much toilet humor, which is not really funny.
0.3
Tsumetai nettaigyo / Cold Fish (2010) 1.5/5
2011-12-28 22:39

Quite bad if you asked me. And much too dragging on. Being loosely based on a true story doesn't help much either.
0.3
Hoshi o ou kodomo / Children Who Chase Lost Voices from... 3.5/5
2011-12-23 23:10

Decent anime. Engaging story, nice underground world.
0.3
Jodaeiye Nader az Simin / A Separation (2011) 4.5/5
2011-12-22 23:23

Very good! Loved how "swear on the Quran" solved all of the lying. Too bad we, the "westerners" don't have such universal truth revealer.
0.3
Contagion (2011) 4.5/5
2011-12-20 23:07

Very good! And also very real as to what might happen when there's a deadly disease outbreak. Humans turning to their basic instincts does not make an easy watch.
0.3
The Ides of March (2011) 4.5/5
2011-12-19 22:50

Excellent! Loved how main character turns into cynical manipulator during the course of the movie.
0.3
Moneyball (2011) 5/5
2011-12-18 23:24

Excellent! Loved it from the first minutes until the end credits rolled. He really did change baseball.
0.3
Drive (2011) 3.5/5
2011-12-17 23:05

Good, not great. Found it too improbable for the main hero to go the route he took.
0.3
Blackthorn (2011) 2.5/5
2011-12-16 23:00

So-so. A little too slow paced.
0.3
La piel que habito / The Skin I Live In (2011) 4.5/5
2011-12-15 23:10

Excellent macabre play. Loved the absurdity of the situation. And was wondering how did he manage to fix the voice too?
0.3
Warrior (2011) 5/5
2011-12-14 23:05

OMFG! What a terrific movie! Everything was right about it. Really, really great.
0.3
Hwanghae / The Yellow Sea (2010) 4/5
2011-12-13 23:35

Very decent, although not as great as it could be. Main character was shot, cut, fell from few stories down yet he was still superhero. It kind of ruined it a little bit. Although I found the story quite involving and loved how the events unfolded.
0.3
Kak ya provel etim letom / How I Ended This Summer (2010) 3.5/5
2011-12-12 23:25

Decent but I could not identify with the main character (I found his actions to be completely irrational/absurd), so it was not as much enjoyable as it could be (loved the scenery, cinematography, dialogs, acting, it's just the story was too improbable).
0.3
Too Big to Fail (TV 2011) 5/5
2011-12-11 23:30

Excellent! Basically nothing revealing, nothing I would not know before about the current crisis, well, maybe apart from the ah so interesting behind-the-scenes talks and that Henry Paulson (great role by William Hurt!) was the main force behind all of this. So, anyway, I had a really great time watching this and if you have any interests in current state of economy, you should have a great time as well. Oh, and I literally loved how they fucked over the Lehman Brothers. It was shown beautifully.
0.3
En ganske snill mann / A Somewhat Gentle Man (2010) 4.5/5
2011-12-10 23:01

Very good! Sure the story is all cliche (ex-con trying to leave his past behind him), but it's told in a very nice way (no big drama, just normal life). And surely it's mostly because of excellent performance by Stellan Skarsgård.
0.3
Krzysztof (TV 2010) 5/5
2011-12-08 22:25

True story of the Krzysztof Olewnik's kidnap and murder. It's really scary to be living in such a lawless country with corruption from local police, to prosecutors to high level politicians. Really felt the helplessness of Olewnik's family when virtually everyone gave them the finger and just did not care. It's the movie that makes you really angry that even the ppl in highest power in this country cannot now (10 years later, when media finally made this case a big deal that it is) find the real culprits behind this awful crime.
0.3
Xinhai geming / 1911 Revolution (2011) 4/5
2011-12-07 22:25

Decent history drama about the 1911 Chinese revolution. Too bad the revolution didn't change much, although it is more than hinted that if Sun Yat-Sen would not resign, the history would have been written differently.
0.3
Laura (TV 2010) 3.5/5
2011-12-02 22:11

Decent. It is a TV movie and it very much feels like one. Just maybe a little bit too sad.
0.3
Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas (TV 2011) 2/5
2011-12-01 22:52

So-so. Too naive, too kiddie. Not really engaging.
0.3
November, 2011
Le refuge (2009) 2.5/5
2011-11-30 23:10

So-so. It's good, but I just couldn't identify myself with the main character (the pregnant girl). I could not justify her actions.
0.3
Page Eight (TV 2011) 5/5
2011-11-29 23:05

Excellent espionage thriller with a heavy dose of politics sprayed on top. Wonderful performance by Bill Nighy. Really enjoyed it.
0.3
Wu xia / Swordsmen (2011) 2.5/5
2011-11-28 23:03

Very so-so. Too many magical/absurd things in it, to be worthwhile.
0.3
Dossier K. (2009) 4/5
2011-11-27 23:10

Mixed feelings. It's a really good action movie, just the story was not up to par. In crime, in police, statistics is *everything*. So while I agree that the general procurator went too far it does not really justify all the killing done directly and indirectly by the main character - namely the "good cop".
0.3
Fright Night (2011) 1.5/5
2011-11-26 23:05

Very, very so-so. 'nuf said.
0.3
Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father (2008) 4.5/5
2011-11-24 23:04

Very tragic story. Really sad and angry that the system has failed Zachary.
0.3
The Debt (2010) 5/5
2011-11-23 23:05

What a story! Tense, engaging & fast action that keeps you on your toes. Excellent!
0.3
The Guard (2011) 3.5/5
2011-11-22 22:50

Both stupid and smart. Both funny and not so much. Really hard to judge. Overall it was a good experience.
0.3
Cowboys & Aliens (2011) 4.5/5
2011-11-21 23:12

I really, really enjoyed it. Surprisingly and despite many reviews dissing it. But I love Sci-Fi, Western and Daniel Craig. Sure it's predictable and full of useless pathos and show-off heroism (and don't forget the little kid, who turns out a hero as well), but it's another Hollywood super-production, so that's expected.
0.3
Gedo senki / Tales from Earthsea (2006) 4/5
2011-11-20 23:21

Very good! I quite liked it, even though it was somewhat complicated.
0.3
Life in a Day (2011) 4/5
2011-11-19 22:45

Humanity anno domini 2010. The state of human condition. Hard really to rate it.
0.3
The Help (2011) 4.5/5
2011-11-18 23:15

Maybe just a little bit too black/white and just maybe one too many scenes that made me cringe, but it's still a very solid piece of cinema.
0.3
The Hangover Part II (2011) 4.5/5
2011-11-16 23:03

Completely hilarious! I was really surprised how funny it turned out, despite being a sequel (and those are mostly much worse than the original movies).
0.3
Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011) 3/5
2011-11-15 22:20

So-so. Too simplistic, too naive. And I didn't really like the CGI on the animated monkeys. But it's quite enjoyable too.
0.3
Winnie the Pooh (2011) 1.5/5
2011-11-13 22:25

Much, much too kiddie. I'm way too old for this. And I kind of knew it would be like this.
0.3
Melancholia (2011) 2.5/5
2011-11-12 23:00

Overall so-so. Lars von Trier always created controversial movies and this one's no different. And even though it's engaging, you could not really sympathize with any of the characters.
0.3
Lincz (2010) 4/5
2011-11-12 13:15

Decent, although I knew the story more-or-less from the media, so the movie wasn't really revealing to me.
0.3
Another Earth (2011) 3.5/5
2011-11-11 22:46

Decent, although you have to turn a blind eye to lots of logical loopholes (oh there are many).
0.3
Habemus Papam / We Have a Pope (2011) 4/5
2011-11-10 23:15

The reviews are mixed about the interpretation of this movie, but I have no doubts that it was intended to be a pastiche. A caricature of the Catholic Church's leadership. Elected pope not able to stand up to the task, ridiculous cardinals playing volley-ball tournament, hiring "the best" psychoanalytic to "fix" the pope. Had really good laughs throughout the movie.
0.3
The Devil's Double (2011) 4/5
2011-11-09 22:57

Very good! Even more so because it was based on a life-story of the "double".
0.3
Una vita tranquilla / A Quiet Life (2010) 4.5/5
2011-11-08 23:01

Excellent! Quiet little story, but when the action comes, it's quick & very powerful. Love well-made mafia movies.
0.3
Rare Exports (2010) 2.5/5
2011-11-07 23:03

So-so. Momentarily enjoyable, but nothing apart from that. And we did NOT get to see the Santa!
0.3
Super 8 (2011) 4/5
2011-11-06 22:51

Decent, even though it's very naive/simplistic. And a little bit too kiddie for my taste, although I really liked the overall concept of "wanting to go home" (ET, District 9 to name a few).
0.3
Margin Call (2011) 5/5
2011-11-04 23:15

Simply put - LOVED IT. It has everything *right* about what is *wrong* with the current finance world (in US especially) and has greatly shown the start of a financial crisis/collapse of 2008, effects of which are felt to this day (end of 2011) and what is even more important, it has presented us the believable look at people who were responsible for the crisis in the first place. Amazing story, exceptional cast & acting. Really really recommended.
0.3
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011) 3/5
2011-11-02 22:52

I have to admit that this is probably the best one in the series, but this also means that it's only a half-decent flick. Now what the fuck is that Harry Potter is literally killed, goes to heaven/purgatory, meets his mentor and comes back to Earth? Really, it would make much, much more sense to end it like Matrix. Oh, I suppose that was a spoiler. Sorry.
0.3
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010) 1.5/5
2011-11-01 23:10

Quite bad. It has some good moments, but the overall story and characters are terrible. It's like they can teleport anywhere and any time they want, just not when it's most needed (for whatever reason, sometimes none). Oh, and Hermione making out with Ron instead of Harry? Wtf is with that? I suppose I didn't get the memo that in this series, the main protagonist does not get the best girl.
0.3
October, 2011
Midnight in Paris (2011) 5/5
2011-10-30 22:58

Love, love, LOVE Woody Allen. Excellent cast with Owen Wilson in the lead, as the "simple" man that takes everything that hits him oh so lightly. Also great story about what "golden days" mean to different characters.
0.3
Wygrany / The Winner (2011) 4.5/5
2011-10-27 23:02

Excellent! There is something in dramatic stories about people being the best at something. This time it's about a young men who is/was a top classical music pianist. Really loved it.
0.3
Le quattro volte / The Four Times (2010) 1/5
2011-10-26 22:17

Oh the poetic movies. No dialogs, little to no action, 4 very very loosely connected stories. Only the one with the young goat was barely interesting.
0.3
The Son of No One (2011) 2.5/5
2011-10-25 23:03

Decent story with a very disappointing resolution. The motivations of the person sending the letters are not really well explained (or in other words - they simply made no sense).
0.3
Cave of Forgotten Dreams (2010) 3/5
2011-10-24 23:05

Decent, although a bit boring. But I must say it got me interested in the beginnings of humanity.
0.3
Beginners (2010) 4/5
2011-10-23 23:05

Decent family drama/romance. Quiet, engaging, little sad, other times funny, intimate.
0.3
Oranges and Sunshine (2010) 4.5/5
2011-10-22 22:55

Oh the injustices of the modern world. One would think that colonialism ended in the 19th century. Not so much in England. They were still practicing it up until the 1960s. And, which does not surprise me, the catholic church was in it together with the British government (with the usual enslaving/raping of young boys).
0.3
Red State (2011) 3/5
2011-10-21 23:10

Quite absurd, if you ask me, but oh well, it's Kevin Smith, so what did I expect? Quite funny, little bit engaging, although dragging on in few places too. Generally good, but without any fireworks.
0.3
Kung Fu Panda 2 (2011) 2/5
2011-10-19 23:05

Even worse than the first part (and worse, despite the high imdb rating). So I was very disappointed. Much too kiddie, not really engaging story, weak dialogs, just poor.
0.3
Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) 2.5/5
2011-10-18 22:45

Very so-so. Those latest super-budget superhero movies are really really lame. Only Thor was nice and only because of good humor (story was still so-so). And the 2nd part spoiler was the worst.
0.3
Crazy, Stupid, Love. (2011) 5/5
2011-10-17 22:50

Wonderful! I was literally screaming with joy while watching this. I was rooting both for Jacob as well as for Cal. Pleasant characters, intelligent dialogs and not-insulting but omnipresent humor is a winning combination.
0.3
Californication Season 3 (TV Series, 2011) 3/5
2011-10-16 23:10

First season was a revelation. Second season was good. Third is barely good.
0.3
Der Räuber / The Robber (2010) 4/5
2011-10-12 23:25

A little bit boring and quiet, yes, but that's what the main character was really like. Not much talkative, without any friends and family, without keeping contacts with his relatives. 100% concentrated and focused on his training. A real PRO. I actually believe that half the motivation behind the bank robberies was that this was a part of his training. So I quite enjoyed it.
0.3
Onigamiden / Legend of the Millennium Dragon (2011) 2.5/5
2011-10-11 23:20

Only so-so. Feels like Princess Mononoke meets Avatar, only less action and more useless dialogs (characters explaining their true intentions, despite it being to their disadvantage). The whole concept was OK, just the execution was very flawed.
0.3
À bout portant / Point Blank (2010) 4/5
2011-10-09 23:01

Very decent French crime/thriller. Really enjoyed it.
0.3
Polytechnique (2009) 3/5
2011-10-07 23:25

Seems like someone has watched Elephant and wanted to make something similar. The turnout is something similarly boring/bordering on engaging.
0.3
Horrible Bosses (2011) 2/5
2011-10-04 23:10

Barely good, bordering on being quite bad. Yes, there are few funny scenes here and there, there are few nice plot twists, but overall it's just too stupid.
0.3
La proie / The prey (2011) 4.5/5
2011-10-03 23:10

Excellent! Really loved the charismatic protagonist (Franck Adrien played by Albert Dupontel). And even though he had near-Superman qualities, it was still believable.
0.3
Attack the Block (2011) 3.5/5
2011-10-02 23:10

Decent semi-indie British Sci-Fi comedy continuing the tradition started by Shaun of the Dead.
0.3
Green Lantern (2011) 2/5
2011-10-01 23:03

Oh, so terrible. Yes, there are few quite funny moments, but the overall intrigue, plot, dialogs were sub-par. But what could you expect at $200 mil but a total crap?
0.3
September, 2011
Potiche (2010) 1/5
2011-09-30 23:03

What a crap. I cannot believe that such a great director as François Ozon would fall so low with this movie. Sure he follows the latest fad of doing 60/70s period movies in a certain "fashion", but man this was so bad...
0.3
Tajja / Tazza: The High Rollers / The War of Flower (2006) 4.5/5
2011-09-28 23:15

Excellent! Quite surprisingly at that, as I did not put too much hope in this movie. Even thought that this is basically a South-Korean take on Rounders, it's done with much finesse. And it succeeds even despite a very, very slow beginning.
0.3
Flipped (2010) 3/5
2011-09-26 23:20

Too simplistic, too childish, too black/white. It's decent, but leaves a lot to be desired.
0.3
Snowtown (2011) 2.5/5
2011-09-24 22:40

So-so. Haven't really managed to capture my attention. The motives behind each killing were somehow not explained in full.
0.3
WXIII: Patlabor the Movie 3 (2002) 4.5/5
2011-09-24 12:19

Contrary to popular opinions, I've found this part to be the best of all. Really great story, even though it seemed to be taken straight out of a X-Files episode. Loved the tragic ending.
0.3
Kidô keisatsu patorebâ: The Movie 2 / Patlabor: The... 4/5
2011-09-22 23:20

Great anime! Who knows, maybe it's even better than the first part. So vintage, yet so good. Although I must say that the political intrigue was not completely clear.
0.3
Kidô keisatsu patorebâ: Gekijô-ban / Patlabor: The... 4/5
2011-09-21 23:15

Great vintage/cult anime by the anime-master himself (Mamoru Oshii). Feeling really sad that I prolonged watching this for so many years! Was it a decade already? Sure it's full of computer-related quirks/anachronisms but the storyline is great nonetheless.
0.3
The Tree of Life (2011) 2.5/5
2011-09-21 17:36

Way too poetic for me. Sure, the Hubble telescope shots are awesome, but I've seen them a hundred times already. Same goes for evolution shots, although the dinosaurs were cool. Shame there was so little of them. But wasn't it supposed to be a drama not a National Geographic movie?
0.3