REVIEWS

It is set in USSR under the Great Terror and the main character Captain Fyodor Volkonogov, played by Yurij Borisov, works in the Soviet law enforcement agency. After the suicide of his superior Major Gvozdev, arrests of employees in Gvozdev's department begin. The Captain runs away to avoid being arrested, and after recieving a message from his dead friend saying that he is destined for hell, he begins to search for anyone that could possibly forgive him for his crimes.

I first watched this when it came out in 2021, when my obsession with Eastern Europe properly started. I re-watched it now, at it is still as good as last time. It is a very surreal film, you never really know why anything happens until afterwards. It is WONDERFUL for the eyes, the color, pace and angle of every scene works together to create the grimy and panicked atmosphere of the movie. I especially enjoy the blinding red tracksuit-uniforms of the law enforcement agency. (I would actually love to have all of the outfits featured in this film...) The movie is also remarkably quiet, keeping the backing music to unnerving tones and droning hums, and puts emphasis on sounds like footsteps, heavy breathing and creaky floors.

One of the best things about the movie, was the outro, and I think so for a very personal reason. The outro is a song by Shortparis, a band I deeply love, but I only started listening to when I was truly in my Eastern Europe obsession. When I watched it the first time, I had barely explored the Russian music I love today and I had no idea who made the outro. Now, as the song I have played so many times slowly creeped into the last scene, my jaw dropped. It felt like my whole life had just went in a circle, since this was one of the first Russian movies I watched. Like it was all meant to be!

Recommend to:
Anyone interested in Soviet history. It contains a lot of violence, specifically torure, and both sexual and neutral nudity.

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Where to watch:
Movies7.to - Some annoying ads. English, Greek and Spanish subtitles. This version of the film has some French subtitles "baked in", but not enough to harm the experience.

The movie is about a family determined to get their daughter into a beauty pageant, and every family member ends up having to come along for the ride.

One way I know that characters are written good, is if I get mad at the character's bad choices or the writer writing the character to make the bad choices. In this movie, every character's choice felt realistic and genuine. I could not choose a favorite character, because all of them were so loveable in their own way! Because of this, the movie felt more real than others in the "strange feel-good" genre.
The colors of the movie are slightly Wes Anderson-esque, with pleasing warm monochrome-ish scenes, and who does not love that?

Recommend to:
Those who are just looking for a good time. Watch with other people, friends or family.

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Where to watch:
123movies - Seems good, minimal to no ads!

I thought it was wonderful! I was constantly blown away by how they managed to add in the theatre aspect in as many scenes as they did. It is very clever to have all backgroud crowd voices in Russian, and then important dialogue in English, with some French frases for accuracy. Usually I am bothered by movies about Russians having English voices, but not this time! I was also not bothered by any romance or sex, it was depicted beautifully and tastefully. All actors have a sort of stoic, "glazy" beauty about them, and count Vronsky is certainly very pleasing to look at.
I did find the plot became a bit derailed and surreal at the end, probably because I find their problems unrelateable. I was also probably too busy admiring the fantastic colors and design of the movie. Anna Karenina in one word: Theatrical.

Recommend to:
Those who like experimental and vaguely surreal movies. Also to those who have an interest in Russian history. It contains one of the main characters committing suicide, so you must be ok with that too.

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Where to watch:
Youtube - A trailer that does not spoil more than I just have, and gives you a taste of the vibe the movie brings.
123movies - Pretty good site, no extreme ads. Sound and visuals are a bit out-of-sync, but you can manage.
Youtube - A summary of the novel.

The movie takes place in Nazi Germany, 1942. The main character Friedrich Weimer is a skilled boxer, and this earns him an opportunity to enroll at a National Political Academy (NaPolA), where boys are raised to be SS-soldiers. After faking the signature of his father, an anti-Nazi factory worker, he leaves and makes his way to the academy. There he meets Albrecht Stein and quickly they become freinds. They help each other through the school's harsh environment and become closer and closer. Saying more would be spoiler territory.

I watched this movie with J after buying the DVD at a second-hand store. I thought it was a very good movie, and the ending absolutely crushed both of us. I have to say, of course, that Friedrich and Albrecht's friendship can be regarded as very homoerotic and I choose to believe the had something more for eachother. Also, J, a.k.a. the biggest history nerd ever, did not complain about any historical inaccuracies, so I assume it is good on that front too.

Recommend to:
Those interested in WW2 and/or Nazi-history. Also those who are ok with death, suicide and general misery. This does not have a happy ending.

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Where to watch:
OK.ru - Seemingly no ads, ugly English subtitles. Love the description below it lol

I always find myself enjoying movies that are just two stupid guys fucking around. Thi one is about two metalheads becoming friends and starting a band, until strange occult things start happening around them. Deathgasm is a fast, over-the-top and self-aware horror comedy, and it does not take itself seriously. It constantly pokes friendly fun at the often overly dramatic and brutal metal aesthetics and "mindset". To give you an example: There is a slow motion fight scene where the main characters kill strange demon-zombies with dildos and anal beads. I also watched it with J, which greatly improved my experience.

Recommend to:
Those at least somewhat interested in metal music and subculture. It helps if you do not cringe at overly flashy and jokingly brutal things. Perfect to watch together with the right people.

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Where to watch:
Flixtor.video - On top of the normal notification-imitating ads, everytime you click there is a possibility of a pop up ad taking you to another tab, but both of them are survivable.

"Бумер" is a 2003 Russian road movie directed by Peter Buslov, written also by him and by Denis Rodimin. The title, "Бумер", is slang name for BMW cars and has been romanized as "Bimmer", "Bumer" or "Bummer". Kinda weird when it is actually pronounced more like "boomer". It is a crime drama, that also critiques the policies of Boris Yeltsin and shows the economic crisis that happened when Russia had to quickly adapt to the free market and a capitalist society.
It is an absolutely fantastic movie, I loved it. The twists are unexpected and hits you like the very car the movie is about. I connected to the characters and loved their interactions. It is a pretty calm and melancolic movie and is not as flashy and over-the-top as car movies tend to be. I discovered it when I found the musician Andrei Shnurov, who made the soundtrack. Give it a listen, it is very good. I will say that like with all "older" movies, you will need to excuse some ~strange stuff~, but it is survivable.

Recommend to:
Must watch for people interested in Russia and the rise of crime following the fall of the Soviet Union. Also good if you enjoy stupid guys doing stupid shit and if you want an unconventional car movie..

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Where to watch:
YouTube - The subtitles are a bit meh, but still good.

This is one of my favorite movies of all time. The two main characters, Sergei and Simon, are perfect examples of my favorite trope: "stupid guys doing stupid shit". I love their dynamic, even though they are very much assholes.
It aims to be a depiction of the economic crisis after the fall of the Soviet Union, and the rise of organised crime, and I think it oes it really well.
My absolute avorite thing in this movie is the interactions between the characters. Zhmurki is not afraid of adding random details. The small talk is phenomenal, the jokes and "one-liners" do not feel as forced as in many other movies and the tiny gestures of characters not currently in focus are perfect. The whole movie somehow felt realistic and the humor feels weirdly modern.

But, there is one thing. The first times I watched this movie, it was without any subtitles, so I had basically no idea what they were saying. Now, when I have rewatched with subtitles, I can say that this movie is full of racism, spcifically against the only black character. He is only referred to as "Etheopian", and seems to only exist so that other characters can make racist jokes. Usually, I can manage a few comments in old movies without being entierly too uncomfortable, but this movie is not even that old! Although, everyone in the movie adresses each other very rudely anyway, so if you think hard enough about the fact that Russia has basically no black people, it can melt into the rest of the un-niceties, even though Simon outright says he does not like black people :/
The movie also contains some misoginy, but honestly, what movie made before 2013 does not? Hope this does not make you not watch this, I think the rest of the movie is pretty fucking amazing.

Recommend to:.
For those who enjoy Russian gangsters and also everone else because I need someone to talk to about this movie.

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Where to watch:
VK.com - Good website and one ad before movie. English subtitles of ok quality, some weird translations and tiny bit of off timing phrases, bu still good.
YouTube - Where I watched it originally, before it got removed.
HD Rezka.ag - Pretty clean website, one ad before movie. No subtitles.
Kinogo.biz - Sketchy looking, two ads before movie. No subtitles here either.

God, this fucking movie. I will not say anything about the plot, and do not let anyone else spoil it for you before you see it. Fight Club is THE must-watch mind-fuck movie, and you have to not expect the twist to enjoy it fully.
It is said that everyone who watches it has some sort of breakdown or crisis afterwards. Personally, I realised I had been restricting myself, intentity wise. All my life, I had been afraid of fully exploring the agressive masculinity I felt inside, since I saw it as morally wrong in some way. I saw the violence I craved depicted perfectly in the movie, and I cried when I realised how much I longed for it. ANYWAY PLEASE WATCH IT.

Recommend to:
EVERYONE. PLEASE WATCH IT. ESPECIALLY IF YOU SOMEWHAT CONNECT TO AND/OR ENJOY MASCULINITY. Also, it is a classic movie that everyone just ~should~ watch. Contains violence.

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Where to watch:
Link - XXXX