Coming Soon

It seems obvious to me that Sir Tijn Po will be regarded as one of the great auteurs of cinema along with Fellini, Bergman, Lynch, as well as his own favorites, Pasolini and Svankmajer. When I compare COMING SOON, Po's directorial debut, with the debut films of these other masters, COMING SOON certainly ranks among the best.

The typical financial constraints of debut films have affected COMING SOON as well (it is rumored to have cost just over 6,000 USD) and I wouldn't consider it a perfect film. But there are clear moments of genius which fortell of a powerful new cinematic language to come.

It's been years since a film has left so many images and questions lingering in my mind and I thank the entire cast and crew for the experience.

See this film if you can!

All I can say about this film is "Bravo"!!! I can't remember a gutsier film in years. And this is going to start off a very interesting chain reaction. There are already people around the world organizing in ways which are portrayed in this film and I firmly believe that it will become an historical milestone in the history of zoophile rights and society in general. This may just be another, more peaceful, "Stonewall"...something that finally comes along and bursts another bubble.

But that's just an interesting side-effect of a film that opens up many other issues. I don't want to copy the film's official synopsis but it really sheds light on issues of progress vs. tradition, habit vs. exploration, as well as many other "old" issues.

Hard to describe but easy to recommend!!!

"Coming Soon" is my favorite film this year! A bit sloppy at times but a great overall achievement!

In the catalogue for the Plzen festival where the film premiered, they quote Sir Tijn Po as saying that he just wants to emulate his two greatest film-making heroes, Jan Svakmajer and Pier Paolo Pasolini. I never heard this comparison before and I find it a little strange. I also love both Svankmajer and Pasolini but their styles are so different - Svankmajer's films never let up for a second while many of Pasolini's scenes seem to last forever. I do agree, however, that both of these directors seem to approach cinema with similar intentions and try using it as a tool to express what is usually expressed via poetry, theater, classical music and the like. But their individual styles are almost opposites.

"Coming Soon" reminded me more of Munch's classic painting "The Scream". You can feel the actors and director just bursting with frustration and screaming at the top of their lungs, screaming to all clergy, politicians, and censors "F...off! Let us think and breathe and live the way WE see fit!!!" For me it was an expressionistic work of art that lingers long after the individual scenes fade away. It's a collective revolt which I identify with very much.

One of the main newspapers here, Hospodarske Noviny, wrote about the film: "…conveyed with an extraordinary amount of humor and exaggeration which like the director's hero (Svankmajer) tries to shatter barriers." The style of this film is far from Svankmajer's world (no animation or rusty spoons) but I agree that it shares his sense of provocation and exploration.

Talking of Pasolini, this film actually did remind me a bit of "Salo: 120 Days of Sodom" at least as far as shock-value is concerned. But unlike "Salo" which is full of violence and Sadism, "Coming Soon" is full of love and humor (except for the one scene with the bull and skins…). While watching the film I wasn't uncomfortable at all, my own shock came days after I saw the film. It's like a little bug that enters your brain and slowly nibbles away at your previous opinions.

I'm curious to see how far this film will go but I'm betting it will find a nice cult following. I, for one, am in!

FINALLY!!! A Czech film that isn't afraid to bite! So many Czech films are the same and look like theater plays. Czech cinema used to be so incredible and now I have the feeling like they are afraid to deal with really serious issues. (I'm from Slovakia and I am not very proud of my own country's film history but I study and live in Brno, Czech Republic and am a huge fan of this country's culture.) Now comes this foreigner and makes a Czech film that I think is incredible. Forman went to America and Po came here! It's not really at all like Forman but more like a strange mixture between Svankmajer and Sverak (the fathers, not the sons!). Some of the other comments here said most of what I wanted to say but I didn't see any Slovaks, so here I am. Wake up my dear Cesi and stop being so careful! Experiment and risk!!! Don't let Americans become the stars of Czech cinema. (I don't have anything against Americans but I think Czechs can make great films too if they start trying.) The only exception is Svankmajer. Nobody compares to him. Sorry Sir Po. Maybe next film??? But I still blow you many kisses for COMING SOON ;-)!!!

I think "Coming Really Soon" would have been a better title for this film about a Zoophile Rights group and their planned revolution.

I just saw the film at an annual Czech event called Letni Filmova Skola, which translates as "Summer Film School" even though it isn't really a film school at all. People from all over the world (but mainly Czechs of course) converge on the small Czech town of Uherske Hradiste and peacefully indulge in the best of world cinema - both past and present. One of this year's main themes was Brazilian Film and I was part of one of the delegations. My Czech isn't absolutely fluent but the town was full of provocative posters for "Coming Soon" and I decided to try it. Although the theater was packed and I was sweating for two hours this film was definitely the highlight of the festival for me and certainly the best Czech film I can remember seeing. I pretty much agree with most of the preceding comments except for the woman who says it's not as good as Jan Svankmajer's last film - "Lunacy." I love Svankmajer too but "Coming Soon" has made me re-evaluate so many issues in life that I don't think "Lunacy" can compare from a philosophical standpoint. And the performances in "Coming Soon" (if they are performances... nobody would give me a straight answer) are far better than anything else you'll see in Czech cinema - including "Lunacy." If it's a fake documentary it's genius. If it's a real documentary than it's the ballsiest thing that I've seen years.

"Hats off" as they say in Czech and I hope you make it to Brazil. It will be fun to watch the reactions!