Other than what we experience firsthand, just about everything else in life we see the ending before we know how it got to that point. While starting a movie with its end is not a novel idea, it still adds something unique to a story. In some cases, like with Trzy Minuty. 21:37, it really adds to the suspense. Trzy Minuty. 21:37 isn't entirely shown in reverse, as it skips around a little with the sequence of the story. While this may seem a little annoying for some viewers, this film is a powerful drama that attempts to make us think deeper about life in general so it is worth it.

There aren't too many characters in this story and they are all a degree or two away from each other. The first person we get to know is the guy who snapped and has had enough of the injustices of the world. Although we only learn a little about him throughout the entire film, he is key to all that happens. There are several sub-stories to the film, which are connected. And there is no better subject for a Polish film than the subject of movies itself, so this movie is also about a film director.

The film director (Krzysztof Stroinski) is broken hearted as his latest wife just walked out on him. His typical way of dealing with this situation is by drinking, making it impossible for him to function. His producer wants him to make another movie, that will star an English actress, so he hires him an English teacher (Agnieszka Grochowska). The director becomes enamored with her despite their age and them just meeting. The director's daughter, who is pregnant, is about the same age as the English teacher. When the director goes to meet the father of his grandchild (Boguslaw Linda), the story takes another surprising twist.

I consider Trzy Minuty. 21:37 to be one of the best Polish movies of 2010, and very possibly the best Polish drama of that year. Trzy Minuty. 21:37 is directed by Maciej Slesicki, whose other well known films include Tato (1995) and Sara (1997). If anything, Trzy Minuty. 21:37 might make you think about life, appreciate what you have and see the small events in life are all connected. While life isn't always fair, there are also some moments when we see a greater power at work that brings a little justice to the world.

Some women look for love in all the wrong places when it is right in front of their nose. Even worse, some gals waste their time and energy with someone that is just a plain satyr in disguise. Randka w ciemno (Blind Date) is a story about the difficulties in finding love from a woman's point of view.

Majka (Katarzyna Maciag) is a cute young woman, but awfully dumb when it comes to judging guys. She is broken hearted over an older man named Cezary (Bogoslaw Linda) that dumped her for another woman. Sure, Cezary was married, but her positive outlook overlooked such things. Majka's friends want to help her out so they enter her into a dating game show. Lucky Majka is not only selected to be on the show out of the other applicants, but is even chosen by the guy out of the two other women. Their prize is a week-long trip to France on their blind date. It turns out the contestant is someone she already knows and doesn't like as he sets off her creep alert, so maybe she isn't so lucky after all. But Majka being who she is, starts to get charmed by him on their trip together and opens herself up to trouble.

I was able to correctly predict what will happen by only watching the first five minutes, so it is absolutely impossible to give away the plot more than the film itself does. Even the poster art for the film (DVD case cover) also gives away the story, but there is also something misleading there, so at least that builds some false expectations to throw us off a bit.

Although the package considers this movie a comedy, I do not. There was almost nothing in the movie I found funny and I only lightly chuckled once (and the person I watched it with didn't laugh at all). I would consider this a romance and a story about a woman looking for love. Overall, I think most of the story is tragic and Majka's story is a very realistic one. Her tale is so sad because there really are some women that are a poor judge of character and end up with someone who is not who they appear to be (and some guys are just so devious that they do not hesitate to do whatever it takes to fool others). But beyond the tragic part, there is the positive side to the story that you will just have to find out for yourself.

There is almost nothing straightforward or simple about Prosta historia o milosci (2010), despite what the title of this movie claims. The movie begins with a couple on a train having coffee and talking. They want to tell their story and make a film out of it, but don't mind changing some of the details to make it more interesting. We never see their faces but they act as the narrators through the entire movie. From there, we see the casting and development of the movie they are to make before us. Another detail that stands out is just about the entire movie takes place in a train.

Prosta historia o milosci joins a very long list of Polish movies about people making a movie. The film is original in its storytelling in that it isn't entirely linier, but isn't really jumbled up either. The story heads in one direction, then the narrators decide that isn't working and change the whole thing. In my personal opinion, this film just might be a circle in that by the end we finally have a clue what the beginning was about.

We also get a lot of random interviews of the actors much like a reality TV program that interviews the participants to see what they felt after the fact. While this is part of the artistic style of the movie, it can also be distracting as these are the types of things one would see in the outtakes of a movie and not part of the movie itself.

While Arkadiusz Jakubik has a fairly long list of films he has starred in, Prosta historia o milosci is his directorial debut. This movie reminds me of Jacek Borusinski's Hi Way as both are directorial debuts made by actors, both are films about making a film and both have unusual storytelling (but Hi Way is a comedy and this one is not). If you are looking for a linear story, Prosta historia o milosci is not for you. It is up to you to decide if the way the story is presented is a collection of disorganized fragments or a type of art that can be appreciated only by those who understand it.

Koniec Gry (1992) is a drama about a man and a woman, and if you really stretch it, you may even say it is a romance. Like Feliks Falk's other movies, it stays on the serious side and really plays up the suspense. Janusz (January Brunov) works at a department store in the security department monitoring customers to prevent shoplifters. One day, Janusz catches a woman (Anna Romantowska) shoplifting some perfume, but he lets her go because she isn't your typical shoplifter. It turns out she is a well-known politician running for office.

Monika Malecka is part of the progressive party and despises nationalists (Polish people that like being Polish). Janusz has the tape that could end her career but he falls for her and wants to have a relationship with her instead. Janusz's hobby is making video games (which will look funny to people today). The game he is making is a loose metaphor for his life and the obstacles he must overcome to get to the next level. We know the movie is called "End of the Game" and we wonder the entire time just how this game will end. Koniec Gry is suspenseful to the very end.

There is something very wrong with Janusz. I would say he has more than a few loose screws, as he would do anything for some older lady he just met but not his own family. She has the money to buy anything she wants, but Janusz thinks he should make her dreams come true. On top of that, Janusz isn't a bad looking young guy, so he would easily be able to get a girl his own age or even one that is younger, so going after some lady that looks a decade or two older than him just doesn't make any sense.

The plot of this movie reminds me of Waldemar Szarek's 1994 film Oczy niebieskie. Both of these 1990s Polish films are about guys that go after a woman in a way that could get one arrested.

I love Polish movies from the 1990s. There is something nostalgic about them that I cannot get enough of. Seeing the use of the "old money' with the inflated numbers and the excitement of finally not being under Soviet occupation is always a kick. Also, any movie with music by Michal Lorenc is worth seeing for his music alone. Without a doubt, his music in Koniec Gry feels like your typical 1990s music too.

The challenges that we face in life today are put into perspective when compared to what people endured during World War II. Stories about the holocaust are painful yet amazing in the sense that they shows us the strength in people that has no rival. In Darkness (W ciemnosci), directed by Agnieszka Holland, is the true story of a sewer worker that saves the lives of a group of Jews. Leopold Socha (Robert Wieckiewicz) is a Pole living in Lwow (now called Lviv and part of Ukraine) in Nazi occupied Poland. He doesn't go out of his way to become a hero, but rather he stumbles on the opportunity to make money hiding Jews in the sewers he knows so well.

Lwow has a rich history for both Poles and Jews that spans many centuries (while today both of these groups are only small minorities), with a mix of ethnicities, including Ukrainians, coexisting peacefully before the war. With the conflict running its course, self-interest and survival are the two primary motivations most people are left with. Leopold risks not only his own life, but also that of his entire family, by assisting the survival of anyone Jewish. The Germans meted out a quick punishment of death to the Poles who tired any heroics. Both the group of Jews and Leopold have some reservations and distrust in each other, but as time goes on, their business arrangement turns into much more.

In Darkness doesn't spare us the brutal events of war and will be quite shocking for some viewers. I would say the film is inappropriate for children for a number of reasons and the squeamish may also find it hard to watch. However, the violence isn't gratuitous, as it only adds to what really went on. The realism is also enhanced by the fact that several languages are used in this movie, including Polish, Yiddish, German and Ukrainian.

No other subject has received as much attention in Polish cinema as World War II. Some say these films acted as a catharsis for the whole country after it witnessed so many horrors. While this still may hold true, these movies also educate their audiences to history many are unaware of. While In Darkness doesn't try to overload us with historical facts or dates, as it subtlety informs us of how life was like in Nazi occupied Poland. We get a good look at the chaotic and brutal way of life people had to endue and come away with an appreciation that things should never be that away again.

Identification of a Woman is an Italian film about an Italian director. I find the director, Niccolo (Tomas Milian), to be an interesting character as he is both artistic and intelligent, yet not a push over. The story begins when Niccolo gets a call from a mysterious man that wants to meet with him. When Niccolo sees him, he gives Niccolo a very vague threat about continuing to see a particular woman will result in some kind of trouble. Shortly later, Niccolo begins a passionate affair with a younger woman named Mavi (Daniela Silverio). Although Mavi says she doesn't know much about Niccolo, I would say she is even more mysterious. I also found it mysterious that he got a threat about not seeing her before he met her (and I watched it three times to confirm that this is the sequence of events). In the big scheme of things, this is a minor detail and shouldn't be worried about too much.

But the mysteries only grow in this film. Mavi disappears after some time of dealing with the stalkers spying on Niccolo and having to make their affair secretive. So as intense as their passions were for each other, the flames between Mavi and Niccolo seem to be extinguished abruptly, which isn't acceptable at all for Niccolo. He is driven to find out what happened and who was behind the threats. Niccolo then meets another woman named Ida (Christine Boisson) that not only helps him put some closure to the mystery, but also becomes his new girlfriend. Ida is quite different than Mavi and presents Niccolo with a situation in which he must decide if he wants to continue their relationship.

What is fascinating about the movie is that the story is basically normal, but it is also bizarre. While everything that happens isn't too far from everyday events, they are also pretty extraordinary. I found Identification of a Woman to be a intriguing movie, but it also came up short because it left a few details unanswered. Although those these questions left in our mind may have been intentional, as they provide us with quite a bit to ponder, I still would have preferred more concrete answers.

Jerzy Hoffman may be best known for his With Fire and Sword (Ogniem i Mieczem) but his earlier films are just as brilliant. In 1976, two years after his historical epic Potop, Hoffman made Leper (Tredowata). Leper is a romantic drama about forbidden love set in the late 1800s.

Stefcia Rudecka works for a wealthy noble family. She is the personal instructor for Lucia, who lives with her mother and grandfather. Waldemar, the girl's older cousin, comes by to visit and is captivated by Stefcia. Stefcia resists his advances in the beginning but he slowly wears her guard down. Stefcia is cautious for good reason as she feels she wouldn't fit into his world.

Waldemar's family strongly resists his choice in a bride. Generations of family traditions are a force he must contend with as he tries to woo Stefcia. The dazzling manor houses and elaborate gardens are spellbinding and bring us into a world where maintaining one's class is a strong force, rivaling the power of love.

Leper captures strong emotions; Stefcia doesn't want to be made a fool yet her fears quickly greet her. The nobles she meets are cruel snobs and dismiss her into the status of a "leper." The emotions are only intensified by the powerful music by Wojciech Kilar (who I find to be one of the best modern composers). If you enjoyed Hoffman's historical films and are curious to see what else he made, you have to check out Leper.

Five from Barska Street (Piatka z Ulicy Barskiej) is a story about post-war Poland set in 1947. It begins with five young guys going to court and being put on probation for robbery, but they are really involved with much more. They belong to a partisan group that is against the Russian occupation of Poland. They are torn between being loyal to pre-war Poland and moving on in the new government. Their probation officer helps them get jobs and turn their lives around. The underlining metaphor in this film is the people are rebuilding their lives just like the country is rebuilding from the war.

Aleksandra Slaska plays the roll of Hanka, the young woman one of the guys falls for. Her character is the most memorable for me and her acting is outstanding. She also is in a number of excellent movies such as Ostatni etap (1948), Petla (1958), Pasazerka (1963), and even the TV series Krolowa Bona (1981). Her acting is intense and seeing her in these films has made me a fan in her work. I wouldn't be surprised the more one sees of her work, the more one likes her artistic ability.

One of the assistant directors of Five from Barska Street is Andrzej Wajda. A year later Wajda released his first feature film, Pokolenie (1955). Of course, Andrzej Wajda is one of the most known Polish directors and has outshined Aleksander Ford's work.

Aleksander Ford is best known for Krzyzacy (1960), which is an icon in Polish cinema. Ford was a veteran member of the communist party and his political views are reflected in Five from Barska Street in the form of sympathy to communists and their philosophy. Of course, those who oppose communists are portrayed as the bad guys. No doubt, Ford's political views helped him in post-war Poland as his party was now at the top. It probably also helped him make Five from Barska Street a color film as it was not too common for Polish movies to be in color in 1954.

People have loved storytelling since the beginning of time. Stories that captivate us, stories that give us chills, stories that excite us, and stories that make us think are all great, but some stories do all of these such as The Saragossa Manuscript (Rekopis znaleziony w Saragossie). The Saragossa Manuscript is quite possibly one of the best Polish films ever made and is one of my favorites. Based on the novel written by Jan Potocki, this classic Polish movie directed by Wojciech Has is not straightforward, but rather resembles a complicated tapestry.

During the Napoleonic wars in Spain, two soldiers from opposing sides become fascinated by the same object. A French officer finds a manuscript on the second floor of a tavern, but the town is soon captured by the Spanish. The Spaniard, seeing the importance of the tome, translates it to the Frenchman who is unable to read the book as it is written in Spanish. The book describes the adventures of one of the Spaniard's ancestors, Alfonse Van Worden (Zbigniew Cybulski). Humorously, when the Spanish troops tell their commander 'we are being surrounded' he only tells them 'close the door, you are letting in a draft.'

Alfonse Van Worden is trying to pass the Sierra Morena Mountains of Spain in the 18th century on his way to Madrid. But his passage is no simple task, as ghosts, gypsies and inquisitors complicate his voyage. On the hillside is an inn that is cared for by people who too afraid to spend the night there themselves. Van Worden disregards the superstitious people, only to be taken to a basement of the inn by a mysterious woman. In the basement, he meets two beautiful Moorish princesses that want him to be their husband, but quickly make him drink from a chalice made from a human skull. He wakes up on the hillside some distance from the inn near two hanging men with many skulls strewn about the ground.

When Van Worden wakes up, he makes his best effort to continue to Madrid, but ends up meeting a number of people and is always delayed. The people he meets tell him their story, and the people in the story tell their story also. Like a nesting egg, the movie becomes a story in a story in a story. The stories interlink and overlap, each filling us in with details the others where not aware of. While it nearly resembles a horror with creepy ghosts and ghouls, the story is also amusing and funny with curious tales of exploits and adventures. The Saragossa Manuscript also has en erotic side with gorgeous women at every turn. While parts of the story resemble a horror, the rest is like a romance or even a comedy. The Saragossa Manuscript is a sophisticated film brimming with mystical and occult elements.

Siberian Lady MacBeth is loosely based on Shakespeare's play, but much more so on a novella by Nikolai Leskov called Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District. Although I may be stating the obvious, the story is set in Russia. The lady of this macrebe tale is ambitious, but in a murderous way. I can also confirm your suspicions that this movie is going to be dark. However, being shot in black and white brings out the beauty of the wooden buildings where most of the story takes place. Being both well shot and visually appealing brings out the beauty in this otherwise sad story.

The troubles begin when the lady of the house, Katerina (Olivera Markovic), is left for too long with her father-in-law while her husband is away. And things get pushed over the edge when a peasant named Sergei starts to work for the family. Katerina and Sergei both take a liking to each other; furthermore, they both see they can gain something from each other. Katerina wants to leave the life she finds so dull and Sergei sees Katerina as a way to a better life. Instead of being a farm hand tending to the pigs, Sergei could be the one in charge of the whole farm. Siberian Lady MacBeth has drama in the theatrical sense that keeps the suspense tight as we anticipate who will be murdered next.

Although Andrzej Wajda is best know for directing Polish films, he has also made films in other languages. Siberian Lady MacBeth is his first work in something other than Polish. Siberian Lady MacBeth is a Yugoslavian film and is spoken in Serbo-Croatian. For me it was interesting to see that a number of Serbo-Croatian words are similar to Polish. Siberian Lady MacBeth has an Eastern European side to it that is unmistakable and beautiful.