dorotapalubiak Reviews

Pajeczyna (2021– )

Interesting and better than expected

[8/10 · 20 July 2022]

I was very pleasantly surprised with this series. It's much better that what we usually get from Polish filmmakers. It is somewhat slow burner at times but plot is intriguing and I was quite surprised by the ending. Makers did a fantastic job showing 1978 - I really felt I moved back in time (and I wasn't even born yet in 1978).

The only issue I had with this series was the sound - often a weak spot in Polish movies. At times it was hard to understand what actors were saying.

Sanditon (2019–2023)

All depends on the angle you want to take

[6/10 · 6 September 2019]

I decided to like it. If you consider it as series based on Jane Austen novel, you probably won't like it. I read one of the 'full books' finished by another author so my mind is stuck with that ending. So I decided to adopt different approach when watching this ITV series. Treat it as non-book based series that only takes inspiration from Jane Austen novel. Few main characters and town name. Everything else is open and hopefully will surprise me.

EDIT: After watching all 8 episodes, all in all I did enjoy this series, but only because I removed original Austen from my mind. They clearly opened it for season 2 so there better be one as not only Charlotte and Sidney story did not end in acceptable way but they left so many topic open that keeping it as 1 series makes no sense at all (and I would not recommend it to anyone) I also think Andrew Davis wasted few good opportunities... but then it gives lots of material to work on for season 2. In fact, they only 'finished' Ester and Babington story so I won't be surprised if there will be season 3 even.

Now on technical issues - there is large number of goofs so series feels sloppy. There was no need to make it 8 episodes, even if the idea was to make it as 2+ seasons. Some of the episodes feel boring, some go way to fast. It feels as if there was good budget to make this series, but they've been cutting corners...

Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (2018)

Very disappointing

[4/10 · 16 March 2019]

Mamma Mia was entertaining, fresh and really pleasant to watch. This one... I regret I watched it, spoiled the whole experience. I get the idea was to show Donna's young years and how she ended up on the Kalokairi. But how she found this island in the first place? Then the singing and dancing... It resembles Bollywood movies. And what exactly was the point of adding Sophie's grand mother played by Cher? She doesn't bring anything to the whole movie. Screenplay is weak and most characters flat. Amanda Seyfried's talent got fully wasted in this movie, similarly to other good actors. I'm really sad Mamma Mia's magic is gone