Nagi4's Reviews

Sebbe (2010)

7/10

22 November 2010

I think it's a beautiful and realistic film about the pain of growing up and being the outcast in the school. Feeling ashamed of your family situation.

What was really good about it was that how the bullying and events in school happened felt real. I could relate to it strongly and recognize those events from my school years.

It was how it happens in Europe at least. If you compare the way the bullying is done in a normal Hollywood studio film, this felt more real.

The other real strength in this film is the acting. It is directed superbly and also the role of the mother is a very good one. Her character is strongly written.

Then we come to the weakness of the film, why I almost left the theater. The film doesn't have a drive and it doesn't variate. Basically it's the same scenes happening again and again. It was an 80 minute film, which could have been 70 minutes. Or at least some re-writing would have helped a bit.

But whit it's weakness, it was still a very good film.

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White Lightnin' (2009)

6/10

Visual but a bore

2 November 2010

This film felt at the same time genius, but at the same like a piece of crap. I think the acting and the mood in the film was one of the best since I've seen after Malick, Kubrick or Tarkovsky, but at the same time it just felt like a irritating overdose of film-cocaine.

It's always difficult to watch stupid people do stupid things in film. So was the case with this films main character.

I understand that the background with the father is somehow supposed to justify it all, but it was still hard for me.

We can see that the director is strong visually and a guy we will here from, but the script could have had a few more looks and a comment round from someone before they started shooting it.

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Upperdog (2009)

5/10

Nice but weak

2 November 2010

I had great expectations for this film since it was according to my Norwegian friend "The best film of the year in Norway".

I was disappointed. It felt like a school film for me. It had a lot of nice scenes in it, but I felt that the classical chaos theory of everyone involving everyone just didn't work in this film. The film is a Norwegian version of Babel or Short Cuts. However this one is a bit too lame to even compare with those to film landmarks.

I had a big problem of relating to any of the characters. My only sympathies went to the soldier character who had a slight problem with event that occurred in Afganistan? He had a tragic tale and somewhat interesting storyline. But otherwise the whole movie was just classical: I'm looking out the window because I'm sad and life is odd and difficult drama.

The film was nicely directed, filmed and acted, but there is really no story. And it doesn't hold together. The only points come the tale of the soldier and what happened in his storyline. You could actually make a good feature film out of that story.

If you like artsy people being lost in their lives and looking out the window, this is your film.

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The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2009)

7/10

I expected more

13 September 2010

I have no idea what people are raving about this film. It's a mediocre film and the only reason it has received such a hype, are the books behind the film.

The cinematography is highly effected by the lack of budget. The strength of the film lies on the hands of Naomi Rapace. She does a female lead role, I have not seen in a while.

Thus the film receives 4 stars from me, but Naomis role extends it to a seven.

Pretty early who are going to guess who was the murderer, although some elements of the resolution were surprising.

Mu biggest problem was that the film had a lot of loose threads that must have been left from the books.

A remake, with a bigger budget might have a chance to be a remarkable film.

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A Prophet (2009)

10/10

Fabulous

29 April 2010

A film made for with precise execution and a model film about gangsters.

I have to admit that everything that is praised about this film is true. It's accurate and it's vibrant. It has the same core style as Gomorrah, but The Prophet is better executed in cinematography and rhythm.

The main actor is astounding and he doesn't even act. He just lives the part or he is like that in real life.

But my biggest mouth opener comes from the role of the Corsican gangster, played by Niels Arestrup. His persona reminds me of the best years of Humphrey Bogart. He is still like a volcano ready to explode.

The film is definitely a masterpiece following the foot steps of Melville. I often dislike the usage of a documentary style camera in fiction. Because often it is just an attempt to make the film more "real", even the story structure or the characters are far from it. In the Prophet, this all works as it should work. The style of acting and the reality of the story go together with the camera work.

It becomes more than life.

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The Tiger's Tail (2006)

5/10

Mediocre

29 April 2010

Warning: Spoilers

--SPOILER ALERT--- I was a bit disappointed with this film as it is the work of John Boorman. The acting is played out nicely and the way the film flows is quite OK. But still my expectations were higher.

It's one of those films that has a better synopsis than the film itself is. I had the feeling that Boorman can't decide what this film is.

Nevertheless his professional touch in the films visual world is well handled and the turning points that we find out of the twin brother are quite unique.

But just somehow the way the story line ends, is a bit like an episode of Emmerdale.

It has something to do with the balance of the film. The beginning scene with the main character sitting in the car and being introduced via telephone calls is so superb as a start, you start to except more.

But after this scene the world of the main character is cliché filled and the characters around him feel like paper. They don't breathe as human beings as the main characters role does.

Another thing is that you have unbalanced roles inside the film. It seems like some of the actors are acting in a different movie than Gleeson's main character.

Also the whole hospital sequence disturbed me a lot and I didn't believe it for a second.

Not a must, but if you need a well done no-brainer, then it suits your needs.

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Everlasting Moments (2008)

5/10

Somehow nothing special

2 November 2009

Well, if it isn't a Swedish epic tale yet again. I have to admit, that even though I'm a big fan of Swedish films, this was just too much "I've seen this before".

OK. first the positive: Music was really nice and Maria Heiskanen in her role was superb. The visual aspects of the film was almost done for a Oscar type film, almost as it seemed to be planning it. But because I have had the chance to meet Jan Troell a couple of times, I must say that he's done the film with his heart and not with calculation.

But heart doesn't help when the film is too boring and there is too much story to tell. It doesn't hold and it has to jump time levels just to the tell the whole history.

I really wanted to like this film as I like the filmmaker a lot. But I couldn't. Michael Persbrandt does a powerful job, but a very similar role that he's done in many films. A bit of yelling and a intensive look. So the same thing. What's new in Swedish cinema? Well "Let the Right One In" is new.

I hope that this is not the last film from Mr. Troell and I hope to see one more masterpiece from him. Because I don't want this to bee his last film.

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Max Manus: Man of War (2008)

5/10

Basic and boring

2 November 2009

From an outsider point of view I Felt that the film was a Hollywood-war film copy. Although the actors were playing well and there were some very nice scenes visually. It just felt as an documentary piece done with actors.

I was surprised that this level of visualization of war could be done with a Scandinavian budget, but it didn't really help my problem: The lack of a strong universal story-line. The plot was as thin as paper and there was really nothing to wait for.

The film was a huge disappointment for me after hearing the numbers of viewers that the film received in Norway.

I can see why it did so. It's a typical story of a Norwegian war hero, but for a foreigner it's just a basic war film and a boring one.

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Welcome (I) (2009)

7/10

Emotional, but long

2 November 2009

A really nice piece about the want to reach your new life and your love. I really liked this piece. The acting was very nice and I thought the thematics of the film was interesting.

I liked the way the director used very plain ways to show emotions inside scenes. There were not that much underlining and there was room for the audience to think and gather some pieces.

The music was also very strong. There wasn't too much of it, but the scenes where it was used, It really gave something to the film.

I recommend this film for an adult viewer who is interested in civilizing him/herself. The one thing that dropped my points from 9 to 7 was the length. It was just too long and it was a great crime with this film not to edit all the boring stuff away.

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The Zone (2007)

6/10

Mexiwood more or less

17 September 2009

La Zona for me looks like a Hollywood film. That is not of course a bad thing, but after hearing about this film, I was expecting a more original look. Now it felt like any other drama coming from L.A. Even though this one was done in Mexico.

For me a lot of the acting was overdone and very theatrical. There were a lot of scenes that were touching and felt real, but there was a kind of unreal feeling through out the film.

It was however very well made. The cinematic style and compositions were well thought.

For me the film felt like a film, and I didn't believe in it. This caused me the lack of feeling and I didn't attach to the piece.

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A Matter of Size (2009)

6/10

Sometimes funny

10 September 2009

I thought the idea of the film was really nice. Having to find something useful in you and try to find the the good in you.

The visual aspects of the film became of course interesting when the men are big and dress as sumo wrestlers. The're is some good dialog, which made me laugh, but there was too much of it. Too many scenes and feelings we're explained by dialog.

Some of the characters we're unrealistic, like the woman who holds the diet club.

I know it's a matter of style, but never the less, it didn't struck me. The film has gotten some good reviews, so maybe I'm just the wrong person for this movie. Man in his forties, who see's a lot of film.

There is twist of a romantic comedy in it, which probably makes it a very good dating movie. But for me it was a bit too naive and some of the scenes we're just so simple and looked too much like television.

The cinematography of the film excels only in a few sumo scenes. Otherwise it's stuff made straight to DVD.

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Kielletty hedelmä (2009)

9/10

Strong and touching

9 September 2009

This was surprise for me. I saw it in Karlovy Vary film festival, and It was one of the biggest highlights of the festival. Came out of the blue. I had heard the directors name mentioned before, but I didn't expect such mature directing.

I had to even dig out some more information of these Apostolic Lutherans /Conservative Laestadians and found out that the film had brought up a lot of discussion in the Finnish media.

The film it self has a very strong visual style. Camera is very close to the main actors, and you can really feel with them.

I thought that the actors were doing a fantastic job in every aspect and the characters were so innocent and moving. This old fart could really relate to them.

As for ratings. I thought it was almost a ten for me, but some of the oddities in the script made it a nine. How ever I could live through these problems, because the feeling in the film was so strong. Good work!

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Swinki (2009)

8/10

Hard and effective

9 September 2009

Hard and effective.

Also one of the strong films in KVIFF this year. A really strong tale about boy prostitutes on the former border of Poland and Germany. I thought the main actor did a superb job and the directing was accurate and well done.

I almost started to hate the stupidity of the young main actress, so the film really got me and I was following it strongly.

The film brings something new to the old "Prostitute plot" by the destruction of some of the characters. There is a great "James Dean -Giant" touch in the story. Success corrupts and changes man.

I can really recommend this eastern European gem. The only big weakness in it is the script that at some point stops going on. The film starts to go over and over the same themes and doesn't move forward. That's why it stays as a eight and not a nine.

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Time of the Gypsies (1988)

10/10

One of the best films ever done

8 September 2009

A masterpiece that would deserve a Blu-Ray release. The music of Goran Bregovic is something to remember. Especially with the song Ederlezi. I get the creeps just in thinking about it.

The strength in the film lies in it's funny and innovative scenes. For a film buff like me, it's difficult to surprise me, but this film did. The astonishing way of using the camera and music together makes watching, even the longer version, an easy effort. In the longer version there is how ever a lot of scenes you really don't need for this film. But I'm rating the shorter "real" version.

IF you haven't seen this film, fight for the right to see it.

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Katalin Varga (2009)

8/10

Visually strong

8 September 2009

't easy to follow, since a lot of the plot and background story is told little by little.

But the visuals is enough to watch this film. The cinematography and composition is something I haven't seen in a while. I gather the film was shot on 16mm, but that doesn't bother at all. On the contrary, it gives a small personality to the film.

The only weaknesses which I found were in the script. It's somehow difficult to follow, although understandable. But, because it was difficult to follow, it was difficult to get emotionally attached.

But as an art house film, it is a must see. Maybe not for the big public, but for the film buff.

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Másik bolygó (2008)

7/10

Boring but touching

8 September 2009

I think this film is a beautiful and warm film. It has been made with a good intention. The cinematography is nice to watch even thought the director uses too many styles.

The performances of the interviewed people in the film are very touching. Director goes to a great extreme while telling stories of the unlucky children.

Nevertheless there was an unbalance between the stories, which is understandable with a follow up documentary.

I thought the girl selling the cigarettes was so sad, that I almost walked out of the theater. Director Moldovanyi finds how ever warmth in the people's situation.

The film could've used some more editing. The strong idea and strong story is killed by the length and the problem that nothing really happens in it.

When you take a few affective stories from different people, that is not yet a film. It's a TV- documentary for pupils in school. There is no narrative, there is no change inside the film. It just depicts different " my life is so bad" -stories. There lies the biggest weakness of the film. It becomes dull to watch and looses it's strength after the first stories.

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