Movies
Ivan Vasilievich: Back to the Future
Russian farce about a scientist who brings back a Tsar with his time travel device. There are a few fun and creative gags, but simple slapstick dominates most of the film. A true classic in its home country, but I'm afraid the comedy doesn't really travel well and the film feels quite outdated.
Russian comedy. Some films don't travel well but are insanely popular in their country of origin. Usually these films remain hidden from international scrutiny, but when your country is big enough and/or your citizens are enthusiastic enough, they may spill over into the global conscience after all. Performances are very weak, the comedy didn't make me smile, but at least the cinematography is somewhat remarkable, with a handful of bright, colorful scenes that manage to stand out. I wouldn't really recommend this film unless you're interested in some Russian couleur locale, but it's certainly different.Read all
Kidnapping, Caucasian Style
Yes, there is such a thing as a Russian comedy. You don't see them very often, especially not when focusing on internationally renowned Russian cinema, but when filtering out local favorites, they're not unheard of. There's a good reason why they never traveled far though, they're not very funny. The comedy is incredibly lowbrow, the characters are pretty dumb, the songs are terrible and the plot is negligible. But the film is short and the tone is light, and when comparing that with the usual Russian classics I watch, that accounts for something. Silly and pointless as it may be, I got to the end quite easily.Read all