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Reviews
Prästen i paradiset (2015)
Funny Recovery from Sloth, Alcoholism and Gambling
A priest in the Church of Sweden, living and working far away from Sweden, has forgotten everything about being a priest even though he is still employed and paid to develop his church's presence in a country where hundreds of thousands of Swedish tourists visit every year. When the Swedish prime minister is on her way to visit and open the priest's new church building, the priest needs to pull himself together because he has gambled away every penny he received to build it. Writer Niclas Ekström and actor Kjell Bergqvist deliver very witty and funny dialogue when Kjell Bergqvist's character as the priest tries to recover from years of sloth, alcoholism and gambling. Director Kjell Sundvall does a great job guiding the audience through the priest's journey trying to overcome his own overwhelming shortcomings and pitiable lack of character. The priest uses unorthodox methods but shows heart and a will to help the people around him, while the Swedish establishment seem more interested in exaggerated politically correctness than showing genuine heart. However, far away from Sweden all rigid rules might not be as important. Kjell Bergqvist is very funny and together with Kjell Sundvall they deliver great entertainment to their audience. 8/10
I nöd eller lust (2015)
A Very Funny Swedish Comedy
Very funny and witty script written by Monika Rolfner about a Swedish wedding. The parody of the bride's parents is very funny, and marvelously acted by Katarina Ewerlöf and Johan Ulveson. The constant but sometimes witty nagging between the mother's sister and her husband is a red thread that goes through the whole movie, and is a provocative criticism of modern Swedish family life where the wife often prioritizes her work before the family. The working class husband is funnily acted by Peter Magnusson. Kjell Sundvall directs the movie with a steady hand except for a few shots with actress Ida Engvoll, as the bride's friend, that is very bad indeed. Some of the moments in the film with Ida Engvoll are like taken from a horror movie, and seem totally displaced in a comedy. The casting could have been better with a few characters severely miscasted. However, there are also funny performances in the movie from Sigrid Johnson, Dan Ekborg, Per Myrberg, Sten Ljunggren, Anita Wall, Ia Langhammer and Suzanne Reuter so the movie is mostly very funny to watch. The cinematography and costumes are also done with perfection so the total movie experience is very good. 9/10
Boss (2011)
Best TV series ever?
Boss will be seen as the best TV series ever, just as Hamlet is seen as the best play ever. They also have similarities. Just like Claudius, Mayor Tom Kane struggles to keep his power while being in constant conflict with frustrated and disappointed individuals. However, there is no protagonist, like the character Hamlet, in Boss. Instead the plot goes from strength to strength with Kelsey Grammar as antihero and spider in the net. He weaves a net of Machiavellian strategies that are so familiar to people working in politics, and the plot moves from complication to complication with the minor characters developing beautifully to fit into Kane's political net of power.
This is drama on the highest possible level, and this TV series will be used as benchmark for all future dramas. The casting is excellent and TV cannot be better than this.
Sleeping Beauty (2011)
A week in a university student's life
The movie is following Lucy (Emily Browning) a young beautiful female student in Sydney who struggles to finance her studies until she finds a new mysterious job. Lucy is attending classes at university; volunteering as a research guinea pig with a young male scientist; working extra in a pub with a friendly male boss; going out to a bar with a friend who gives her cocaine before she leaves to f.ck one of the older bar visitors; sharing house with people who constantly complain; resting in her own room; working extra as a photocopier assistant in a big office with an ever controlling female boss; talking to her alcoholic mother on the telephone; visiting her honest, depressed and alcoholic friend who she serves cereal with vodka. However, then she finds a new job as a half-naked waitress, where her vagina will never be penetrated according to her female boss, who encourages her to take drugs as they are "aspirin for the soul". In this job she is soon promoted to sleep naked in a big bed, after being put to sleep by sleeping pills, without knowing what is happening to her during the sleep. Will she ever find out?
9/10
Margin Call (2011)
Brilliant Movie!
The movie starts with bankers being fired, but this time the bank makes the mistake of sacking Eric Dale (Stanley Tucci) who is the only one in the bank understanding its current risks. Luckily he manages to hand over a memory disk, with his work, to one of his staff Peter Sullivan (Zachary Quinto). Later during his night-shift Sullivan also understands the risks the bank is exposed to and he calls his new boss Will Emerson (Paul Bettany) who doesn't understand, but realizes that the bank might collapse. Higher bankers are immediately called in Sam Rogers (Kevin Spacey), Jared Cohen (Simon Baker), Sarah Robertson (Demi Moore) and the bank's CEO Hohn Tuld (Jeremy Irons). All these people making several million dollars every year, but without understanding the products the bank is trading with. Peter Sullivan addresses them in a meeting at midnight and everyone understands that the bank is on the verge of a collapse, and the only way to save their skin is to sell as many of their toxic products as possible before anyone else in the market does. This panic action will, however, force the whole market into collapse, but it is a matter of survival when everyone in the market will sink. Kevin Spacey is excellent in his role as the main staff captain of the sinking ship. Jeremy Irons is also tremendous in his manipulation and execution of his staff, where people are given millions of dollars for a one day performance. The whole cast is outstanding in this film. However, most credit must go to the film's writer and director J C Chandor for his once in a lifetime masterpiece.
Exit (2011)
I really liked this movie
Sydney's Kings Cross is the backdrop in this solid production with Jon Hewitt as its director and main writer. Viva Bianca and Hanna Mangan Lawrence act as the main characters in this revealing tale. However, the nudity is not out of place since the red light district is the film's basic setting.
Surviving almost 15 years of escort interaction, Holly (Viva Bianca) is almost 30 years old and solves her complications with well directed kicks and punches. On the other hand, being 17 years old and new to Sydney, Shay (Hanna Mangan Lawrence) has not adapted to her new environment with its strip clubs and drugs. Frequent close-ups and lots of bare skin of beautiful Viva Bianca increases the audience's compassion for her character, and her performance as the tough and resilient Holly is memorable. Hanna Mangan Lawrence's character is vulnerable and in constant danger, but together with Jon Hewitts repeated use of close-ups she manages to get into the audience's hearts. She is definitely an actress we are looking forward to seeing in the future.
Lastly, costume designer Vanessa Loh has also done a great job in this awesome thriller.