Coming Soon

I hope I don't turn people away from this film by calling it philosophical masterpiece, since I also consider MATRIX (at least the first one!) a philosophical masterpiece. There are many philosophical films, but the ones I consider masterpieces are the ones which AREN'T boring! I was invited to a private screening of this film in Pargue a few days after it won an award from a Jury of Students from the University of Pilsen. The producers wanted to show the film to the people who were involved in the film and I was invited by one of the graphic artists. He didn't tell me anything about the film, just that it was a surprise. I go to as many festivals as possible looking for surprises and I rarely find them, so I wasn't very optimistic about this one. But I didn't want to offend my friend so I went.

I wasn't surprised. I was simply shocked! Pleasantly shocked! When the film ended I was angry like when someone wakes me from a beautiful dream. They said they will shorten the final version and I think this is a mistake. The version I saw was two hours and I would have welcomed another hour. Without any special effects or fancy gimmicks, they created a very trippy alternative reality that is like a world by itself. To this day, which is more than 3 months after I saw the film, I think about it and can't stop talking about it (you can ask my wife!).

All I can say to Sir Tijn Po and all the other people who worked on the film is Bravo! I can't wait to seeing it again when you release it in theaters here. I hope other film-makers here learn a lesson from this film that you can make movie magic without big money!

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!

This is one of the best movies I have seen this year... It is presented as an "reportage", but... Some of the audience may not realize till the end of the movie if it is really true or not... And after seen it you will watch the world around you more careffourly and see some things from new angles... And you will think more about them. BTW: is there somebody around you who uses the little thing on keys in a form of a cow, rabbit or something like this... Then you will find in this movie, what exactly it means :-)

I would like to say something more about it, but no, it is too hard to say what is the movie about... you should watch it. If you have the possibility, just do it!

It will probably not be on DVDs any time soon... so you will have to look for it in some theatre... If you are in Czech Republic you have better chances, but it is going to be released in English really soon, so don't miss your chance!

BTW: when it finished I was asking myself why it was so short... but it took the standard 90 minutes :-)

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 must say that I'm quite surprised that everyone here on IMDb and even in the Czech media is praising this film. I thought I would have to come here to defend it! But all the comments are compliments?!

When I heard of this film and what it is about I thought it was making fun of minorities and was a little afraid to watch it. I am a member of Lesbian community here and people tolerate us but you never see Lesbian or Gay heroes in Czech films. When I heard that "Coming Soon" is about zoophilia-rights organization I thought it was making fun of our struggle here because we just had a new big victory with the law. But this film is amazing. Shocking but amazing! When they showed it my town they had a guest from the film and after there was a discussion with the audience and he asked how many people are now ready to give rights to zoophiles. HALF the people raised their hands!!! I am sure that before the film started not even one person would raise their hand. This film in a very smart and sensitive and even funny way shows how silly it is to bother other people about what they like to do sexually. I cried when all those people raised their hands because of what it means for me and people like me and ALL people who like unusual things.

I don't know if I'm explaining this very clear but I think it's one of the most important films in a long time and I want to thank all the people who made it. I agree with the jury in Plzen who gave them the Special Award for originality helping minorities and I hope it will win many more! This is a film many people will use when they have to explain some unusual desires... Great, great film!!! :-) :-) :-)