2007

This film of three parts, in which participated also former and current drug abusers, was made with the assistance of Kiev mayor Leonid Chernovetskiy by one capital social organization, that occupeis the prevention of negative phenomena among youth. Mostly the film is all about the drugs and psychotropic substances usage.

In the first part the organization representative passed nearby the leading Kiev universities, where for half an hour period he had managed to found several dozens of accessories for drugs usage. The second part of documentary film proves by the facts the theory, that prohibition to sell freely dangerous medicines like Tramadol will lead us to nowhere. It only increases the costs of narcotists. The third part tells us bout the degradation of Kiev youth athletic development.

The authors opinion: very useful film, that could not only help the beginners to leave the drugs, but to the parents of young people who turned on the wrong way. It also provides insight into the Ukrainian drugs business and shows how easy its schemes are. My estimation of this film is 10 of 10 possible.

Production:

Ukraine, Publishing center FARES, 2007

Feature:

Documentary

Duration:

72 min.

The successful businessman Nikita has now the opportunity to travel into 19th century both due to his friends who organized this great adventure and to his abuse of alcohol. Nikita Petrovych now lives in the large estate and is well away including also the attention of attractive housekeeper.

But owing to the excessive interests of young barin to his new horizons the situation is not going according to the planned scenario. And particularly the film director being at the same time the barin`s steward is disturbed by his serious interest to the countrywoman Zaryana, instead of the planned marriage with the housekeeper.

Personal author`s opinion: Not bad as for the low budget and sad ex facte Russian film. Several times it even causes the smile. And I, personally, liked the Maykov`s acting.

Directed by:

Nikholai Potapov

Cast:

Pavel Maykov, Anna Kuzina, Oxana Filonenko, Ivan Bortnik, Igor Tikhomirov, Andrey Pavlenko, Maxim Konovalov, Yuriy Dubrovin, Sergey Gavrilyuk and others

Production:

PC «Alyaska», Russia, 2007

Feature:

Comedy

Duration:

98 min.

Discharged from the army provincial Anton Remezov (Alexandr Golubev) comes to Moscow. Anton is going to marry his neighbour from native Altmetyevsk Zinaida. But the Moscow is not so glad to meet him. Zinaida is confused (she merely has send him the photo on the 23rd February occasion), her father “uncle Kolya” doesn`t wants to hire Roman and the cop on the terminal beats him up. So our hero changes his mind and instead of leaving to native Almetyevka and gets a job in the Moscow police. And now he has the opportunity to revenge to everyone: Zinaida, uncle Kolya, his colleagues-cops, deceivers tradesmen.

“Firmness doesn`t mean stupidity” is the motto of the hero passing through the whole film, but sometimes it seems, that he is trying to prove the opposite. If the Remezow were 10 years older and cleverer, he would particularly turn into Danila Bagrov. And the film “Heart of Stone” could be called “The Brother 3”. But Remezov is not a Bagrov, and Mizgirev is not a Balabanov. The key messages of the film are: Moscow is captured by the stupid provincials, cops and gangsters are the same, and all of them produce the narcotic dens on the Moscow outskirts, cheap brothels and kill each other. Aside from that, as usual, there is no love, no withdrawal, no positive heroes. And the viewer doesn`t feel sorry for anyone.

Trailer:

Directed by:

Alexey Mizgirev

Cast:

Alexander Golubev, Karen Badalov, Yevgeniy Antropov, Dmitriy Kulichkov, Anastasiya Bezborodova, Sergey Shekhovtsov

Production:

STV, Russia, 2007

Feature:

Drama

Duration:

82 min.

The life of young and talented provincial disk jockey Denis Orlov is more like a fairy tale. He has got completely everything: success, money, beloved girl, true friends as well as ambitions. Denis dreams about moving to the capital of Russia, where he expect to meet the unlimited career opportunities. His dreams break, when guy firstly decides to participate in the drugs deal in order to earn some extra money.

The life of the hero changes very fast as soon as he becomes the member of the gangster`s grouping of Verner. Denis is afraid to lose the career, his girl and even his own life. To stay alive after he spoiled the drugs operation Denis has to clear by working his debt to the gangsters. The only his desire now is to break away from this horror!

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Directed by:

Valeriy Todorovskiy

Cast:

Maxim Matveyev, Fedor Bondarchuk, Alexey Serebryakov, Igor Voynarovskiy, Anton Shagin, Yekaterina Vilkova, Sergey Volobuyev, Yevgeniya Hirivskaya, Sergey Pirnyak, Denis Balandin, Denis Yasik

Production:

Krasnaya strela, Russia, 2007

Feature:

Drama, Criminal, Detective

Duration:

124 min.

In the faraway part of the world live ordinary people. Alex (Konstantin Lavrinenko), her wife Vera (Mariya Bonnevye), brother Mark (Alexander Baluyev), friend Kir (Maxim Shibayev) and two children. Together with wife and children Alex goes to the country house. There his wife weeps bitterly and then lets him know about her new pregnancy. “This child is not yours,” sounds the verdict to the happy family future. It is total mess in the head of Alex. Who is the father? Mark? Kir? Who should be blamed and killed? Impossibility to find out the truth drives him into the gloomy state. One by one slow but surprising events causes the terrible tragedy.

The second film by Andrey Zvyagintsev is endless (two hours and a half) as well as beautiful. Honestly, in the Russian cinematograph history, including also the Soviet period, one could hardly find the same trendy, visually filigree film. “The Expulsion” - is the benefit performance of the brilliant operator Mikhail Krichman. The particular pleasure brings to the viewer the film`s cast. It should be mentioned, that film is based on the story of William Saroyan and touches upon the subjects of mutual understanding in the triangle Man-Woman-God. According to the European critics Andrey Zvyagintsev was called due to “The Expulsion” the descendant of Tarkovsky and Bergman. If you are able to bear the 150 minutes of this parable, you would definitely appreciate this film.

Trailer:

Directed by:

Andrey Zvyagintsev

Cast:

Konstantin Lavronenko, Alexander Baluyev, Maxim Shibayev, Mariya Bonnevye, Yekaterina Kulkina, Yelena Lyadova, Andrey Shibarshin, Dmitriy Ulyanov, Alexey Vertkov

Production:

Hélicotronc, REN FILM, Russia, 2007

Feature:

Drama

Duration:

150 min.

Unlike the majority of films shown during the last years in Russia, “Home, sweet home” doesn`t pretend to seem the best Russian film ever made or the blockbuster running into millions. It is merely a comedy without the stars of KVN making money on hateful uninteresting humour or without the everpresent Gosha Kutsenko, whom the Russian audience was already fed up about.

The plot is trite enough, the idea is no less banal, but the cast is quite fortunate being the secret of this romantic comedy success. It is the film for the housewives and young girls, still believing in fairy-tales. But the film after all is worth seeing, because of some funny episodes that are rarely met in modern films.

Shortly the story is following: Mikhail Andreyevich helps his daughter Masha to find the temporary accommodation using the confidential information, who and when goes on a journey. And one day… You should see it yourself, just to broaden your outlook.

Directed by:

Alexey Mamedov

Cast:

Viktor Bychkov, Stanislav Belyayev, Agniya Kuznetsova, Anastasiya Makeyeva

Production:

Star Media, Russia, 2007

Feature:

Comedy

Duration:

93 min.

Alisa (Mariya Shalayeva) lives on the sea coast together with her crack-brained granny and mother regularly inviting touring seamen to their place. There is nothing more boring, than to live in the provincial seaside city. The only place of interest in it - the poster hanging near the entertainment center “We`ll make Your dreams to come true. Guaranteed”. And the girl`s dreams indeed start to come true. For instance, at last she moves to Moscow. The unexpected disappointment meets Alisa in the megapolis. In despair she decides to jump from the bridge into the Moscow-river, but fortunately the stranger (Evgeniy Tsiganov) leaves her behind. The girl saves his life and falls in love with him. Now her moving to Moscow really has sense. But life is not so easy…

“The Mermaid” by Anna Melikyan received the award for the best direction on the prestige Sundance Film Festival. It seems, this charming story could get ahead of the famous “Juno” awarded by Oscar. Among the main summands of film success are: cut in a quite dynamic manner, unexpected courses (for example interesting way of road big boards usage) and clear plot. And, undoubtedly, the talented play of Evgeniy Tsiganov and Mariya Shalayeva is no less important contribution to the film. Mariya was also awarded in Russia (“Nika” and “ Kinotavr”), that is quite unusual for our country, taking into consideration the her young age. Inspired by the up-to-date reality the film is fascinating and tragicomic. “The Mermaid” commonly wins the sympathy both of audience and critics.

Trailer:

Directed by:

Anna Melikyan

Cast:

Mariya Shalayeva, Evgeniy Tsiganov, Anastasiya Dontsova, Natalya Rychkova, Igor Savochkin, Irina Skrinnichenko, Veronika Skugina, Mariya Sokova, Igor Yatsko

Production:

Central Partnership, Russia, 2007

Feature:

Adventure, Tragicomedy

Duration:

114 min.

The sparkling team of “Kak by radio” (“I quartet”) set out on a voyage along Volga. On the instructions of the oligarch Emmanuil Gedeonovich they have to ensure the 7% of votes to the one of the provinces governor candidate Igor Tsaplin (Vasiliy Utkin). The task seams twice more difficult, when the team comes to know that candidate is the oligarch`s personal masseur. But to deny the Emmanuil Gedeonovich and also to the own director (Mikhail Kozyrev) would be quite unwisely. During the large scale per-election campaign the cheerful team fetches to their point of view the local underworld leaders, the military and cossacks. The task becomes much more difficult when the news about previous convictions of candidate emerges.

It is easy and pleasant to watch the “Election Day”. There is no the crudeness in the comedy, the one can laugh at everything and everyone in it. The cinema début of “I quartet” is worthy to be called the mega successful. The performance of the same name was adapted to the cinema by Oleg Fomin and diluted by the famous Russian variety performers (“Chaif”, “Ivanshki”, Sergey Shnurov, Alexei Kortnev, “Bi2”, Serega, Andrey Makarevich). The one can hear the phrases from the popular film often quoted and Mikhail Kozyrev and Co started the one more performance screening (“Radio Day”). The proverb “make hay while the sun shines” is quite suitable in this case.

Trailer:

Directed by:

Oleg Fomin

Cast:

Kamil Larin, Alexander Demidov, Leonid Barats, Rostislav Khait, Nonna Grishaeva , Vasiliy Utkin, Alexei Kortnev, Eugeniy Steblov, Alexander Semchev, Maxim Vitorgan, Mikhail Efremov

Production:

STAR-T, Russia, 2007

Feature:

Comedy

Duration:

125 min.

In Rus even the villein is no less clever than the prince or boyar council. And if he is also in love with the tsarevna Kseniya Godunova, he could probably do marvels.

When Andreyka was a little boy his family lived in the tsar`s court. It was then that he didn`t understand, why tsarevich Fedor Godunov is permitted to hit him by the sword and he is not. But then Kseniya Godunova gave to the brave boy a piece of unicorn`s horn from the tsar`s gate. That gift became for him a real talisman, which helped the boy to stay alive during the attack of Poles.

Once again Andrey will meet tsarevna by chance in 1612. Kseniya will travel with Polish hetman and barge hauler Andreyka will drag their ship. It is a right moment to take vengeance on hetman, to help the Motherland and to win the girl`s heart…

Trailer:

Directed by:

Vladimir Khotinenko

Cast:

Mikhail Porechenkov, Marat Basharov, Alexander baluyev, Arthur Smolyaninov , Mikhail Zhebrovski, Petr Kislov, Violetta Davidovskaya, Daniil Spivakovski, Valeriy Zolotukhin

Production:

TRITE Studio, RENOVA MEDIA, “Golden eagle” studio, Russia, 2007

Feature:

History, Adventure, Tale

Duration:

144 min.

To kill by mistake in London the famous oligarch– that means complete and unforgivable fail for the secret service agents. The heroes of the film, agents Victor Velmishev and Vlad Koshkin were “written-off” to the unintelligible institution with the strange name “Antidope”. Now they have got a new boss – the severe colonel Zinaida Moroz. With such new colleagues as criminalist Nikholai Rakov one`s life could not be boring. Our heroes just started the “paper-pusher`s” life and unexpectedly it was turned into the chain of incredible events and ridiculous adventures. This is the right moment for Velik and Koshka to understand, that they had undervalued their new “working place”. They are going to meet unbelievable adventures and serious troubles in order to find the sophisticated drug baron Rezo, the hide-and-seek game with his crime partners and even rescue of the real love!

Trailer:

Directed by:

Vladimir Shchegolkov

Cast:

Aleksandr Bashirov
Dmitri Dyuzhev
Tatyana Dogileva
Vladimir Turchinsky

Production:

Russian World Studios, Russia, 2007

Duration:

90 min.

Feature:

Action / Comedy