tisdag 31 mars 2015

'71

I really enjoyed my visit to Ireland in 2013. Me and my wife went there for 2 reasons, we wanted to see the city of Dublin, and we also had tickets to see Stereophonics live. The irish people are really friendly, and the irish wisky tasted wonderful. I will definetely go back, and perhaps travel more around Ireland, there are so many places i need to see. I did get to see some irish history in Dublin, but there is plenty more to learn. Especially about the history of IRA. I remember my dad told me when he was in Ireland in the early 80´s, that the situation around IRA was really serious. There could be bombs lying in pubs or restaurants, and no one would even know. I doubt that all of IRA is gone today, even if the situation is more under control nowdays. There is much more about the history of Ireland, that the whole world will never stop remembering. Maybe you have read about Bloody Sunday ? On January 30, in 1972, in Derry, Northern Ireland, british soldiers killed 26 civilians on the streets. This was one of the most brutal tragedies in irish history, that will always be remembered. I was not born at this time, so i read about this in history magazines. While reading this article, i remember that it struck me how the situation was handled by the military. It seemed so cold to just kill 26 people, for no reason at all really. I understand that the british army was told to do their job, but maybe the situation should have been handled in a different way. There are more moments in irish history where more people have been killed, especially by the IRA. So much pain and anger must have taken it´s toll on the whole country. ´71 is a UK film, that tries to bring up the 1971 riot in Belfast. Since the release this film have been critically acclaimed, and nominations at film festivals. Director Yann Demange, directed the well made tv series Dead Seat, about a zombie apocalypse that goes out of control, while a reality tv show is being made. `71 is his directorial debut film, and he have become a very respected film maker for his first full feature film. I first noticed the film at The Berlin Film Festival 2014, where the reviews were outstanding. Is this as good as the critics are saying, or is this a big dissapointment like V/H/S Viral ?

Gary Hook ( Jack O´Connell ), a british soldier, is send to Belfast with his patrol, to stand guard during house searches made by the police. The situation is becoming out of control, when civilians attack them with stones, and a child steals one of the soldiers weapons and runs away. Gary manage to locate the child, with a military friend. But his friend is brutally killed, and now Gary is running for his life. Gary manage to find a hideout, wounded and exhausted. As he rest for quite some time, he leaves at night time, trying to find a way out. He meets a Loyalist Child ( Corey McKinley ), who says he will lead him into the right direction, to get help. They end up in a bar, where Seargent Leslie Lewis ( Paul Anderson ) is preparing a bomb, to revenge the IRA. Leslie tells Gary to wait in the bar, as he goes outside. Gary sits with a pint, and no one is coming back, so he decide to go outside to see if he can see Leslie. The bar explodes, killing everyone inside, except for the child. Gary carry the boy out, to get help. Gary finally collapse in a street corner, when Brigid ( Charlie Murphy ) and her father take him to their home. Gary belive that they are trying to help him hide, but it turns out they know who are looking for him.

I am not sure if ´71 is based on true events completely, but the story of the soldier Gary, who is lost, feels really intriguing. Knowing that Ireland had to suffer from bad economy and with no bright future ahead, it must have been a rough time to live in. ´71 tries to show you what could have happened during these riots, and you get to see from 2 different perspectives. Both from the soldiers, and from the civilians. Who is right and who is wrong ? I belive we could all have different opinions about this.  This is one of those films that you will remember, simply because director Yann Demange have a feeling about telling deep, and emotional stories. To see these young men, forced to kill if necessary, must have been horrifying. Of course they have trained to survive, just like any soldier is trained to do, but killing another human is not something you simply forget. What makes ´71 such a good film is the acting, there are plenty of performances that are so good, Krister Henriksson would probably get an heart attack, when he finds out what acting really means. Lead actor Jack O´Connell have made many great performances from the past, from such films as Eden Lake and Harry Brown. Here he gets to shine once more, as the dedicated soldier Gary, trying to follow the rules. I would also like to mention how good Paul Anderson is,  In a chaos like this, you realise that anything can happen. Especially when you are stuck , not knowing how to get out. This could have easily be another war drama, but thankfully director Yann Demange tries to bring a different point of view on this time period. We have seen similar films before, i would still say that ´71 manage to be different, thanks to taking some surprisingly good turns along the way. If you are interested in historical films, i have a feeling you will love this one. With acting on this level from many of the cast members, you will guaranteed be squeezing your sofa, when it becomes really intensive. I am not surprised that America have discovered ´71 lately, and the box office numbers have increased. Not a lot of course, but it is nice to see people in the U.S. enjoy European cinema releases. Hopefully it can continue to be seen by a larger audience, here in Sweden we did not get to see it for long, so it came out on dvd instead. I highly recommend you see ´71, not just because of the historical perspective, you will also get high quality acting, just what we need in these days of awful remakes

Rating: DDDD

lördag 28 mars 2015

American Sniper

Almost every day, you hear on the news about people killed in a war, worldwide. Even if we wish that we should all live in peace, i am afraid that will never happen. The war industry is much bigger than most of us would expect, making more weapons, mines, different types of ammunition, and people will always be interested in this business. If you take a look at America and see the gun issues, i can´t help to feel sadness. I don´t mind if people own a gun in their home, but when they own machine guns, and other weapons made to use in war around their kids, i feel that this is wrong. To protect yourself is one thing, you can do that with a simple hand gun, but a big machine gun ? I think some people in America should think about what they are doing. They have enough problems already, especially when their soldiers are killed overseas in war. I will admit that these soldiers are brave, fighting for their country. What i am trying to say is that ordinary people do not need war guns in their homes. Leave that to the army instead, who are trained to use weapons in combat, in all sizes. Speaking of military, i will never understand how it is to be in war with another country. When you see soldiers in combat, on news channels, it must be a very complicated situation knowing you will have to kill, in different situations. Not knowing if you will survive, must be hard to live with. Let´s not forget the families that support their soldiers, while they have to be prepared that their loved ones could die in battle. This is a complicated situation for everyone involved. I don´t want war, but i realise that maybe we need military operations to be active, especially when terrorists are killing so many innocent victims. Have you ever read the story about Chris Kyle ? He is known for being the most lethal sniper in U.S. history. He became a legend all over America, and a role model for many people. Unfortunately he was murdered on february 2, in 2013. Clint Eastwood, both legendary actor and director, decided to direct a film, telling the story about sniper Chris Kyle. In the lead role as Chris, we find the very talented actor Bradley Cooper, who have delivered many good performances over the years. With this combination, and a story of a soldier who made a change in military history, is this as good as i hoped for, or is the hype way out of line ?

As a young boy, Chris Kyle learned how to hunt in the forest with his father . He is taught that the rifle is the most important detail in hunting. You have to know how to handle your weapon. As Chris ( Bradley Cooper ) is older, he is a rodeo cowboy, doing rodeo performances. When he comes home one night, his girlfriend is cheating on him, so he throws her out. He sees a news report on tv, about the 1998 United States embassy bombings in Nairobi. Since he see no meaning in life as a rodeo cowboy, he decide to join the U.S. Navy. He manage to get into the SEAL training program, and succeed to become a U.S. Navy SEAL sniper. One night out with the boys in a bar, Chris meet Taya Renae ( Sienna Miller ). They start seeing each other, and become a couple. It does not take long until they decide to get married. After the 9/11 Attack on New York, Chris is sent to Iraq. On a mission , he kills a young child and a mother, who both try and attack with a grenade. His team says he made the right decision, but the memory of killing a child sticks inside the mind of Chris. He is assigned to locate Al-Qaeda leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi ( Mido Hamada ), and kill him. Abu is also known as " The Butcher ". A man says he knows where " The Butcher " is located, but demand 100.000 dollars to help Chris and his team. Abu Musab al-Zarqawi is a very dangerous man, but they are determined to find him. The team manage to find Abu and his men, but a sniper takes out some of the men, leaving Chris to make some other decisions. Abu kills the man who helped the american, and his son, warning that more will be victims. Since the mission fails, Chris is send home to his pregnant wife. A son is born, and Chris is filled with joy. Even if he just became a father, he goes back to Iraq to find " The Butcher ". Chris is changing for each time he comes back to Iraq, the war is affecting him in many different ways.

I have not seen the film Jersey Boys, also directed by Clint Eastwood, that he directed before American Sniper. Maybe one of the reasons why i decided not to watch it was that the bad reviews gave me a warning sign. I did enjoy his previous film Trouble With The Curve, a baseball film with some great acting, even Justin Timberlake managed to deliver a good character. American Sniper is based on the true story of sniper Chris Kyle. When you read about what he accomplished, with 160 confirmed kills, you realise that he was not anyone to mess with. There is no sniper in the history of USA, that have managed to kill this number ever, so he truly was the most lethal sniper of all time. Bradley Cooper who plays Chris Kyle, does a really good performance. He seems to have worked very hard to make his character look like Chris Kyle, and that makes a big difference. The story around Chris is filled with many moments in his military career. You get to see how he started in the military, how he managed to survive Navy Seals training, and how he developed to become the best sniper in american history. The acting from almost all corners, manage to float just fine. The biggest strength is the way Clint Eastwood manage to make such a powerful perspective of the challenges that awaits Chris Kyles missions. You can feel yourself being there on location. He might be getting older, but he is still damn good director. I would also like to say that actor Sienna Miller, who plays Chris wife Taya, makes a very good performance. She is the perfect example of how you can act as a wife, both tough, funny, and not the typical housewife we are used to see. You might have heard of the controversy baby scene ? Well, you can tell that the baby is not real, this should have been done correctly if you ask me. A plastic baby looks pretty silly. American Sniper is a film that tell a very important story, of a man who made a big difference for his country. The tragedy that Chris Kyle was brutally murdered in 2013, should not have happened. Life have to go on, even if he is not with us anymore, this is a film that is a great tribute to this legend. I would not say that this is my favourite film by director Clint Eastwood, i would say Unforgiven and Mystic River is up there in the top. This is still a very well made film by this legendary director, who knows how to tell powerful stories. American Sniper is definetely worth a watch, but i do wonder why it was nominated for so many Oscars this year at the Academy Awards ? Nightcrawler should have had all those nominations instead, honestly.

Rating: DDD

onsdag 25 mars 2015

Supremacy

When i hear the word justice, i wish to think that it means that ordinary citizens should be protected by laws. Unfortunately, that is not the case, very often. Too many criminals get away with horrible crimes, and don´t get the punishment they deserve. I want to belive that there is justice, so anyone who becomes a victim of crime can get the support they need. If we take a look at Sweden, i can tell you that our laws are way too nice. If you murder someone, well, they might get 5 years, or maybe less. They might even be out in 3 years. Am i serious ? Yes, our law system is not good here. I would imagine that several other countries are much more strict and make sure criminals get their punishment. Of course there are murderers who sit longer in prison here, but some of them is out on the streets way to soon. I belive that we need strict laws, and more support for victims, so justice is done in a better way than how it is at this moment. When it comes to motion pictures, taking on criminal stories, we have a hell of a lot of titles out there to choose between. Gangsters, drug lords, robbers, killers, the list never ends. Since there are so many films out there, only a few of them feel interesting. That would be if there is something different about a certain story, that makes it fascinating. American Gangster is one of those films i highly recommend, and of course we can not forget Donnie Brasco. Recently i did write a review on the australian criminal film Son Of A Gun, a film that managed to deliver a solid story and great performances. Supremacy is a film i actually discovered by accident, while renting some films at Hemmakväll, a swedish video rent store chain all across Sweden. I recoginzed 2 names on the cast list, Joe Anderson and Danny Glover. Not knowing if this would be any good, i decided to give it a chance. Is this a surprisingly good criminal film, or is this another one of those straight to dvd releases with nothing to offer at all ?

Supremacist Garret Tully ( Joe Anderson ) is just released from prison, as his girlfriend Doreen ( Dawn Olivieri ) picks him up. Garret start to plan his next move already, but things change very quickly that night. When a police officer ask them to stop their car, so he can see Doreen´s driver license, Garret kills the cop brutally. The situation have just turned extremely bad, since Garret have only been out of prison for a few hours. They escape on foot, trying to find a loctaion to hide. As they arrive at a big house, they break in and find a whole family living there. The father Mr. Walker ( Danny Glover ) and his wife with 3 kids, are shocked. Walker tell everyone that the best thing they can do is follow orders, so no one will be harmed. Doreen have an idea, she have a phone number to a friend who can help them out of bad situations, so she decide to give him a call. Garret is not sure about this, he feels that they can take care of the situation themselves. While Garrett is trying to figure out how they can continue their lives from this moment, he realise that this might be more complicated than expected.

I had no idea what to expect when i picked up Supremacy, not knowing much at all about this film. And maybe that was a good idea, trying not to find out the plot. Because here we have a small film, on a limited budget, that actually deliver a surprisingly effective thriller. You could say that on one half, there is a story on racism, and on the other half there is a story on people handling an awful situation. I am very happy to see Danny Glover, doing a much better performance than most of his releases over the years. This was exactly what he needed, because he can be a good actor. He is nowhere close as his earlier classic films from the 80´s and 90´s, but this proves that he might choose some better characters in the future. The strongest performance is without a doubt from lead actor Joe Anderson. I have seen him do good performances in the past, in such films as The Grey and in the latest adaptation of Hercules, with Dwayne " The Rock " Johnson. The difference from these films, is that he tries to show us a human life, with no hope, or with no future plans. He is stuck inside his criminal world, where he belive he knows what is right and wrong. A powerful performance indeed, and maybe the biggest strength of Supremacy. The story of 2 criminals taking over a house may not be original at all, and that is ok. Because there is plenty to be said with this film, both from a criminal perspective, and from a victim perspective. Director Deon Taylor have directed both films and tv series, i mostly remember his film 7eventy 5ive, with Rutger Hauer in 2007. This could be hist best film so far, as an director. Supremacy is a film with more quality than expected, with acting better than expected. The plot is not very effective, it is the acting and the way director Deon Taylor try and dig deep into emotions that works so well. If you want to see something cozy, next to your fresh brewed coffee and a blanket, Supremacy will do the job just fine. Nice to see that there is still hope for the thriller genre, i will look forward to the upcoming films of director Deon Taylor. If he can deliver here, i am sure he can continue to deliver with his next project.

Rating: DDD

tisdag 24 mars 2015

Escobar: Paradise Lost

Drugs is a huge problem worldwide. Every day people die of drug overdoses, or are killed because of drug business. No matter what drug people use, there is a lot of money to be made in the drug industry. So no matter how police forces worldwide fight the drug industry, they can´t keep up with every new product that is released. As an example, within just a year, we have so many dead teenagers in Sweden, who used the drug known as Spice. I lost 2 friends who both died of overdoses, and another one could have been dead, but managed to survive with major injuries. I have never tried drugs, and i never felt that i need to. I drink alcohol, but not very often. So i would say that you don´t need drugs, because they will mess you up anyway. There are many famous drug cartel kings from history that became a hero for many poor people. One of the biggest drug cartel icons have to be Pablo Escobar, the colombian drug lord. He was one of the most dangerous criminals of all time, killing people constantly while doing big business deals. He was known as " The King Of Cocaine ", and the most dangerous drug lord of them all. He died in 1993, where his brothers claim that he took his own life. Others claim he was killed by Colombian electronic surveillance team, led by Brigadier Hugo Martinez. They located Escobar in Medellin, and begun firing their guns at him. If the last bullet killed him, no one knows, or if he took his own life. Either way, Pablo Escobar is a legend in the cartel world. There have been several films and tv series based on the life of Escobar, you might have seen one of them known as Blow, with Johnny Depp. But here we are with a fresh film, telling the tale of Escobar´s life, this time portraied by Benicio Del Toro. This is also the debut feature film from director Andrea Di Stefano, who worked as an actor in different tv and film productions. Is Escobar: Paradise Lost, a fascinating look on this legendary drug king, or is this a film you might as well skip and find something more interesting ?

In the summer of 1983, Nick Brady ( John Hutcherson ) and his brother Dylan Brady ( Brady Corbet ), comes from Canada, to run a surf camp together on the colombian coast. While working hard in the heat, Nick meet Maria ( Claudia Traísac ). They begin to see each other, as feelings begin to grow for each day. One day, Maria want to introduce him to her family, at the mansion of Pablo Escobar ( Benicio Del Toro ). Pablo like Nick instantly and want him to work for him instead. Nick takes Pablos offer, and become a family member quickly. Everything seems wonderful, until Nick realise how dangerous Pablo is, and what he is capable of. The ordinary life Nick once had, is now long gone. Unless he can find a way out, and escape to freedom.

I have seen plenty of films, taking on drug problems. But when you make a film based on one of the most dangerous cartel kings of all time, you realise that there is a lot to tell about Escobar. I find it interesting that we get a different perspective on his lifestyle, than just seeing him do drug business, we also get to hear some of his closest family members and their thoughts. It is not hard to understand that Escobar had to have psychological problems, considering he had no emotions at all when it came to killing people. To just be able to kill anyone, in all ages, and have no emotions, show us that the drugs were more important than human life. This may not be the greatest performance ever from Benicio Del Toro, but i feel that he fits great as Pablo Escobar, even if i wish he could have been even more violent. You do get to see some scenes with his bad temper, but i think he might have been even more crazy in real life. Of course i never met the guy, just a feeling after reading about his personality. I would still say that from a biographical view, Escobar: Paradise Lost, deliver a story that in some ways are incredible. How this man could build such an empire is a mystery in some ways. Of course he had so much money and power, he did anything to become even bigger in the drug industry. He could not live a normal life, since business was always the most important detail, so you see a lost soul who have no comfort zone. Since this is the debut feature film from director Andrea Di Stefano, i feel that he manage to handle this story in a good way. He could have easily made a typical mediocre drama, but he seems to take the job seriously. If you were hoping for action scenes and lots of bullets, you might not get what you wish for. This is more of a dramatic film, showing us another side of Escobar, where we also get to know his closest workers who helped him build up his empire. You also learn that he did help people, building schools and health care clinics to make sure people could get help. If you enjoy films based on true stories, Escobar: Paradise Lost might actually please you. I doubt we will ever have anyone as big as Pablo in the drug cartel world, he can never be replaced. I am glad he is not alive, because who knows how many more he would have killed. A horrible man, still interesting to learn more about his personality. Tired of Äntligen Hemma on TV4 ? I suggest you play this film in your dvd player instead, and see a film with a very important message. Drugs may be a big industry, but in the end drugs only makes everything worse.

Rating: DDD

fredag 20 mars 2015

Greetings from Swedens Oldest Virgin

Yes it is true,  i am the oldest virgin of Sweden,  ask my sister,  she can confirm this. 

By the way,  the real reason i am writing this is to tell you,  that in april i will be posting a lot of reviews.  So far i have been very busy lately ,  trying to write new reviews.  Hopefully if everything works out,  i will be able to publish more in april. 

Have a great weekend and stay virgin,  women can be dangerous,  unless they are lesbian. 

Cheers from Daniel 

måndag 16 mars 2015

Wild

Take chances in life. This is something i tell young people when i get the chance. I did, when i was only 23 years old. I went all by myself to Scotland, to see a girl i met in Spain for a few days. We stayed in contact and she invited me over to Scotland. My family thought i was crazy going over there all by myself, since i only met her for a few days in Spain. I never regret that i packed my bags and left. I had a great time in Scotland, and the memories will stay with me. I still travel a lot, and so far i have been to 15 countries, and continue to visit new countries. Even if i am getting older, i keep on living as good as i can, because i feel you should not care about age. It is just a number. I honestly don´t care about having the perfect house, or how i should dress myself among people. I am Daniel, all the time, anywhere. Sometimes we have to make choices, like taking a trip somewhere, to reload our batteries. For me personally i feel that travelling helped me develope me more, than just staying in Sweden, going to the same locations. Then there are those who really go for an adventure. Travelling for months in different countries, this looks like a lot of fun, and must be a great adventure. Have anyone of you by any chance read the novel Wild : From Lost To Found On The Pacific Crest Trail, by author Cheryl Strayed ? She wrote this novel, after she made an incredible journey on 1,100 mile hike on the Pacific Crest Trail. The novel became a huge success, telling the story of Cheryl who had to make a choice, and she decided to go on a personal journey to see if she could reach her destination. Wild is a film based on these true events, taking from the novel Wild : From Lost To Found On The Pacific Crest Trail. Director Jean-Marc Vallée is mostly known for his films C.R.A.Z.Y, The Young Victoria, and one of my personal favourite films Dallas Buyers Club. Wild is definetely a different film from his previous work, with actor Reese Witherspoon in the lead role as Cheryl Strayed. Is this film based on a true story as good as i hoped for, or is this a film that looks good on the cover but does not deliver enough quality ?

In the year 1995, Cheryl Strayed ( Reese Witherspoon ) have had enough of her personal problems. She have a dream that one day, she would want to go all the way on the Pacific Crest Trail, all by herself. One day, when she decide to do this, she packs everything she needs on this journey, and begin walking. She have no idea how this will affect her life, and the experiences that follows with this incredible journey.

I am not sure if you have seen Sean Penn´s brilliant drama film Into The Wild. This film was based on the true story of Christopher McCandless, who was an american adventurer. He was found dead in the Stampede Trail in Alaska. He decided to leave his ordinary life and live in the nature of Alaska. Even if Into The Wild is very different from the film Wild, i can not help to feel that i see a pattern here. While the story of Christopher McCandless felt more sad, and very emotional, the story of Chery Strayed in Wild feels more light, and maybe not as deep as i would have wanted it to be. It almost feels like director Jean-Marc Vallée tried to make Wild looks almost like a different version of Into The Wild, but somewhere the plot never really lift as high as Sean Penn´s powerful story. I would not say that Wild is a bad film, not at all. If you compare this film to many other releases that came out last year, this is deffinetely worth your time. Especially since Reese Witherspoon is really good in the lead role as Cheryl Strayed. One big difference from Reese usual characters ( mostly in comedies ), is that here she really tried to find a much more natural character, instead of drowning in romantic clichés. As we follow her on her journey, we meet people a long the way, who help Cheryl to make her journey more pleasant. The scenery looks great, and it feels like this must have been a rough journey, both emotionally and physically. Another detail i enjoy is the story between Cheryl and her mother Barbara ( Laura Dern ). Even if you don´t see these scenes often you can feel the chemistry between them. Wild is a film with a very important issue, if you need a change in your life, take a chance and do a personal journey. Sometimes we need to make a decision, even what people in your life feels. I can relate to what Cheryl felt, as i did my own personal journey to Scotland and learned to look at the world in a completely different way. I would still say that Into The Wild is a better film, simply because the story feels deeper and more interesting. Still, Wild have both solid performances and an interesting story. Life is short, take chances. I am glad i did, and i still do sometimes.

Rating: DDD

lördag 14 mars 2015

The Atticus Institute

The U.S. governement is said to have a lot of secret information, of what they have done in secret for many years. This is what most of us would call conspiracy theories. Do i belive that there are operations done by the U.S. governement in secret ? I would not be surprised, at the same time, who knows what really happened, or if anything happened at all. It could all be theories. To belive something, i have to see that there is proof, or real evidence, otherwise it would be hard to belive anything at all. There are those moments, where i do get to laugh also, when people say they have proof of crazy things. Like one guy who said he might have found proof that Jesus was gay. Let´s say he was, who cares ? Of course there were gay people in those days, you just don´t talk about that in churches. Or maybe you remember the fake video of the alien autopsy ? People actually belived that the video was real, so if you know how to make a video look real, you can fool many viewers. Conspiracy theories will live on, as long as people belive that higher authorities hide information, and wipe out their traces. Let´s just say that there have been experiments made, on ordinary people, who might have a special talent, what would you say if you watched the actual video footage, filmed on location ? The Atticus Institute is a documentary horror film, supposed to show us what really happened at Atticus Institiute. According to the facts, there were experiments made on patients who were said to be telepathic. We also get to hear new interviews from the people who worked there, who want the truth to come out. Is this a horror documentary better than i expected, or is this another example of why Hollywood should try and find original stories instead ?

In the 70´s, it was revealed that one of the workers at the Atticus Institute have faked sessions with patiens, using his clock to remove objects, to make it look like patients were telepathic. This made Dr. Henry West ( William Mapother ) furious, and it seemed as their project to understand real cases of telepathic people failed. Until one day, when the institute decide to help their new patient Judith Winstead ( Rya Kihlstedt ). As their experiments begin, Dr Henry can tell that she is not fake in any way, she seems to be telepathic. But when the experiments become more complicated and harder to perform, something does not seem right. What is really wrong with Judith, is she maybe more than just telepathic ?

You might think that this is another found footage horror release, don´t worry. The Atticus Institute is acually more like a documentary, but not based on real events of course. We get to hear the story of what happened in the 70´s, hearing from staff of the Atticus Institute, as they tell us their experiences of what happened with their patient Judith Winstead. I am surprised how well they managed to put these pieces together, both from filmed material from the 70´s and the interviews done in present day. It looks good, and the acting is also good. From a possession point of view, we don´t really get anything original, but that´s ok. The strength of The Atticus Institute is that director Chris Sparling, tries to make it look like this really happened for real. The fact that he does not try and use the found footage genre is also a good sign. For those who never heard of Chris Sparling, should know he is a well known writer, for films like Buried ( one of my favourite films with Ryan Reynolds ), and the horror film ATM. He is actually a writer for the forthcoming film Sea Of Trees, with Matthew McConaughey among others. The Atticus Institute is actually his debut film as an director, and i have to say he manage to give us a horror film that deliver enough to feel interesting. There are not too many jump scare scenes here, and i am happy that Chris Sparling decided not to follow that path. Because too many horror films usually use that formula, just to be as scary as possible. I would have liked to have some more small surprises along this documentary, something unexpected. Otherwise i can´t be negative, the documentary style works good here, and the story is solid enough to feel interesting. The Atticus Institute will not give you anything fresh, but at least you get a horror release that at least tries to please the audience. That does not happen very often in these days of desperate film makers.

Rating: DDD

tisdag 10 mars 2015

Dyke Hard

To those who know me personally, they know i have a lot to say about certain swedish films. I am not saying all are bad ( just to make myself clear ), i am simply saying we lack of quality films like other European countries deliver. I still have hope for fresh and young directors, because we need new talents to change the swedish film industry. Look at Denmark, they have done some really good films in the past, and keep delivering quality films. Sweden do make some good films, sometimes, but not as often as we should. Since some directors failed to do something original, i always felt that we need someone who can take us back to the glory days of video violence of the 80´s and 90´s. But we do have a cult film, that never became a hit at the box office, not even a big hit in VHS tapes back in the end of the 90´s. The film is called Evil Ed, and it is one of the best swedish films ever made. Imagine an action horror comedy, with influences of Evil Dead, how can it be wrong ? If you have not seen it, i suggest you buy it on the web site Ginza, great price also. For a long time, i have been hoping that some swedish director would dare to go into the same path as Evil Ed, but do something original. So last year, i came across a trailer for the Stockholm Film Festival 2014. The film is called Dyke Hard, and after i watched the trailer, i fell in love. This is exactly what we needed in swedish cinemas, an action comedy musical, with lots of gay power. I could almost not belive that this was a swedish film, because i did not think we would get something special like this formula. I realised that i had to wait until there was a release date, and i finally got a chance to see it on SF Anytime. With such a wonderful combination of everything that Jehovas Witnesses loves so much, is this the best swedish film since 1997 release Evil Ed ? Or did the trailer promise too much but left us dissapointed ?

4 young students , Riff ( Lina Kurtilla ), Peggy ( Peggy Sands ), Scotty ( Maria Wågensjö ) and Bandito ( Alle Eriksson ) form the metal band Dyke Hard. They have a hit single, and become popular. Until one day, when they notice that the audience is getting smaller each day. Riff have had enough, and leaves the band. Peggy, Scotty and Bandito still keep the band together, even if the future is not looking bright. One morning while having breakfast, Peggy notice a poster that says there is a band competition, where the winner wins 10.000 dollars, and a record deal. They decide to try and enter this competition, even if Riff have left them. Riff is hitchhiking on the highway, when Moira ( Josephine Wilson ) picks her up. She tells Riff that she can help her do a solo career, without Dyke Hard, because she have everything she needs to become a superstar. Dyke Hard find a new band member, thaiboxer Dawn ( Iki Gonzalez Magnusson ). It does not take long, before they all end up in trouble with law, and find themselves in prison. Warden Henderson ( Anitha Nygårds ) will make sure that they stay locked up. Battle Of The Bands is not far away, and Dyke Hard needs to get there in time.

OHHH MYYY GOOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dyke Hard is the greatest fucking swedish film for years, maybe even one of the best swedish films ever made. To those critics out there who says i am wrong, piss off. You are stuck in the Colin Nutley swamp, just like the rest of boring swedish bastards who want to live in the 1800 century. Dyke Hard have everything we could wish for, cheesy acting, bad swenglish, bad special effects, and most of all so many crazy scenes, you just want to dance, all the time, anywhere. So what is Dyke Hard ? Let´s just say that this is a tribute to many films, from the old school days of video violence, with a lot of gay influences. Does it make any sense at all ? No, and that is why i love this film. There are so many crazy ideas here put together, that it does not have to make sense, that is the whole point. You might ask yourself, what would Tony Irving say if he watched Dyke Hard ? Let me put it this way, if he thought he was hard before, he will be harder than ever after watching this film. We have so many crazy characters in here, some of my personal favourites are Warden Henderson, you would not want to mess with her. Morgana The Ghost, a musical lesbian ghost, played by legendary erotic TV1000 presenter Ylva Maria Thompson. Buck Blossom, an 80´s stripper who loves a lot of action, played by Alexi Carpentieri. There are plenty of more characters that are worth to mention, especially in the band Dyke Hard, who are all brilliant. Director Bitte Andersson have directed the tv series HallonTV, and Dyke Hard is her first feature film as an director. She is my new hero, she brought us something unique, with combinations from the 80´s and 90´s, and still make it her own style. If you love films made by Troma Films, like Toxic Avenger, you are going to love Dyke Hard. The musical numbers are really funny, and the locations like prison, look so cheesy you just love it. Ninjas ? Cyborgs ? Gay sex ? Everything is here, so this is what makes this one of the greatest swedish films of all time. Dyke Hard should be nominated for best film at Guldbaggegalan 2016. Also an nomination for best director to Bitte Andersson. I feel really proud to swedish right now, Dyke Hard will hopefully be named the greatest swedish classic of all time in history books.

Rating: DDDD

söndag 8 mars 2015

Clown

Let´s go back into the early 90´s. I think i was 13, when i first watch Stephen King´s It. I think this would forever change my view on clowns, for the rest of my life. Back when i was a child, i always thought clowns were made to entertain us, and make us laugh. Maybe they do, but Stephen King´s It changed my view completely. Pennywise The Dancing Clown ( done excellent by actor Tim Reid ), was the worst nightmare you could ever experience. A clown that feast on childrens flesh. My wife is even more terrified of clowns after this film, so i can understand her. If you see a clown, you better be ready with a machete, or a machine gun. Who knows what is underneath the clown suit. There are many horror motion pictures made from a clown subject, i think the most frightening detail of this is that many are based on the real serial killer John Wayne Gacy. If you have read the story of this brutal serial killer, who murdered teenage boys, you know he had an extra job, performing as an clown at childrens birthday parties. Really sick when you think about it. So with this information, there is nothing strange why clowns are hated by people. Well, there are a few clowns that i did enjoy watching. Remember the 80´s classic film Killer Klowns From Outer Space ? That is a fun horror comedy, if yu have not seen it i suggest you do. How many of you heard the name Eli Roth before ? If i mention Cabin Fever and Hostel, maybe that will wake you up ? Eli Roth have been very respected in the horror community, ever since we saw him direct his feature film Cabin Fever in 2002. He continued to deliver horror films, and also being a producer to many horror releases. I hope you all have seen one of the films he produced, The Sacrament, highly recommended. One of the films i am really looking forward to is his new film The Green Inferno, a cannibal film, filmed in the Amazonas. It has been delayed many times for a wide release, but now finally coming out later this year. So until then, we will have to settle ourselves with some other releases where he is the producer. Take this film as an example, named Clown. The combination sounds like fun, knowing that Eli Roth loves classic B Movie horror films. The director of Clown, Jon Watts,  have also directed the forthcoming film Cop Car, with Kevin Bacon, that everyone is talking about since the Sundance Film Festival premiere. Another clown horror film, with a very talented director and producer on board, could this be a film that B movie fans will love, or are we here once again with another lame release ?

Kent ( Andy Powers ) is working as a real estate agent. He gets a phone call from his wife Meg ( Laura Allen ), where she tells him, the clown she hired for their son Jack´s ( Christian Distefano ) birthday party can´t come. Kent decide to be the clown instead, using a clown suit he finds in one of the houses he is about to sell. Kent makes the kids pleased, and makes Jack´s birthday party very special. The next day, as Kent tries to remove his clown hair, red nose and clown clothes, they won´t come off. His wife Meg helps him out, as she manage to pull his red nose off, but it makes a big flesh wound on his nose. This seems very strange, and for each day Kent is transforming. Kent find information on who used to live in the house, and contact a man named Karlsson ( Peter Stormare ), who seems to know where the clown suit is from. Originally a clown is a demon that feed on children´s flesh, taking victims into his cave in a Nordic tale. Karlsson tries to take care of Kent, to make sure the demon does not take over Kent completely, Kent manage to escape though, and is now out on the streets, hungry for children´s flesh. Karlsson helps Meg to try and stop the demon, before it is too late.

Over the years, film makers have tried to make a good clown horror film, and failed too many times. They just could not capture the same feeling of Stephen King´s It, no matter what they tried. Pennywise The Dancing Clown is an icon for that reason in horror films. I do have some good news though. Clown is the most scary clown film, for almost 25 years. Director Jon Watts have found a way to lift this classic genre back on to the screen, and make a horror film, that even i can find myself enjoying. There are some really nice treats here, and i suggest if you are a parent, learn the lesson that never rent a clown to your kids birthday party. The best way to describe Clown, is a tribute to classic horror films of the 80´s. You get plenty of gore, still there are some surprises along the way. One of the best details of Clown, is that the plot is actually surprisingly strong. That is something i did not expect, so that is a great surprise. To even bring in an Nordic folk tale about where clowns really came from, is a really good idea. Director Jon Watts uses a lot of nice details to lift this horror film up, on a completely different level than many other clown horror films. It feels like he knew that there have not been a good clown horror movie for many years, and he wanted to make sure we got something in our taste. Lead actor Andy Powers have really tried to make his character feel desperate, as he tries to get rid off his clown suit and hair, but with no luck. You don´t get to see his clown dance around, and be happy all the time, instead you see a sad clown, hungry for kids flesh. This is another detail that makes Clown so good, this is not a cheesy release just trying to make money. Clown have a serious tone, and you feel frightened at some points, because you don´t really know what he will do next. Peter Stormare makes a good performance, as the worried Karlsson, who knows how to stop the demon clown. I feel so pleased, Clown is actually a good horror film, with a great plot. You can buy it in the UK right now, not sure when the Swedish release is, but make sure and order yourself a copy. This is a feast you don´t want to miss. And if you hate clowns ? Great, you will still love this one.

Rating: DDD

lördag 7 mars 2015

Get On Up

Music in all genres are important for all of us. Music can make our day better, help us feel inspired to reach for a dream. Music can even make an ordinary day feel special, worth celebrating. No matter what kind of music you are into, or what genre, music is important. Personally i can´t live without music, i both listen to classic artists but also try and listen to new bands, when ever i find something interesting. Speaking of classics, you must have heard James Brown on radio, or maybe on tv ? An icon in soul music, who still today is an inspiration for many musicians and bands. There are so many songs that people love, of course we should mention I Feel Good, and This Is A Mans World. He is known as The Godfather Of Soul. I can´t really say i have listened a lot to him in my youth, or even now when i am closing 40 years old. But the truth is that he had a voice, and a style, that inspired many people. When he died in 2006, musicians and fans told the world exactly how they felt. There will never be anyone like James Brown, simple as that. So here we are, with a motion picture based on the true life of The Godfather Of Soul. In the lead role, we see actor Chadwick Boseman as James Brown, maybe most known for his performance in the baseball drama 42. It has taken some time to make this film to be made, but managed to do so thanks to producer Mick Jagger ( Yes, the lead singer of The Rolling Stones ). I heard an interview with him, where he said it did take some time before they could get the rights for the music. Director Tate Taylor directed the Award winnning drama film The Help in 2011, that got both critics cheering and the audience. With a respected director, and with actor Cadwick Boseman as James Brown, is this combination exactly what we were hoping for, or could we have had something better than this ?

As a little boy, James Brown ( Jordan Scott ) grew up very poor, and was abused by his father Joseph Gordon Brown ( Lennie James ). His mother Susie Brown ( Viola Davis ), left their home, and did not come back. One day, as he hears music from a church, he goes inside and listen to gospel. He finds himself hooked up on the music.  At the age of 17, James steals a suit and end up in prison. James try to adjust as good as he can inside prison, and one day he hears a group of singers performing in prison. It ends with an riot, where both James Brown ( Chadwick Boseman ) and Bobby Byrd ( Elsan Ellis ) get injured. Years go by, and James meet up with Bobby again, to join his Gospel group. They name themselves The Flaming Lips, and start to get recognized for their music style. The Flaming Lips are signed to the record label King Records, as they release their first single Please, Please, Please in 1956. King Records executive Syd Nathan ( Fred Melamed ) mocks the song, but he can tell that there is something special about James Brown. The Flaming Lips continue releaseing singles, and popularity is growing high. Ben Bart ( Dan Aykroyd ) becomes James new manager , but when the band name Changes to James Brown and his Famous Flames, all the band members except for Bobby quits. James is not going down with this, so he reform the band with new members. James keep on making more hit singles over the years, but his personal life is filled with problems, as he divorce his first wife Welma Brown ( Phyllis Montana LeBlanc ). He finds a new wife, DeeDee Brown ( Jill Scott ). Hapiness does not long very long, until James begin to abuse his wife, and having personal issues. He have to keep his image look good, and still tries to hide his problems. As the years go by, James turn into is own solo act, trying to survive a world that is changing musically.

To become a music legend like James Brown, is not easy at all. You have to move like James did, you have to have the body language that only he had. Lead actor Chadwick Boseman does a really good performance as James Brown, he really worked hard to make this look like he is James. The most interesting pieces of this film, is to see the completely different side of James Brown, in his personal life. He had a very strong personality, and you can tell that he would not let anything stop him from reaching his destination. You also get to see parts of his childhood, and you understand that he did not have much at all. So to become this famous, coming from a poor family, must have been magical. Get On Up may not take on everything in James fascinating life, but we do get to know a lot what happened in his glory days. Director Tate Taylor, have tried to put the pieces together, and give us an image of who The Godfather Of Soul was. You do get to laugh also sometimes, like when James hear that he should play at the same gig as The Rolling Stones. He makes fun of them, wondering what is so special about this british band ? There are times when you can see that James had a lot of personal problems in his career. Is it that strange ? I can´t even imagine how it would be living in his shoes, becoming such a superstar, coming from a home with nothing. The story of James Brown is amazing in many ways, and can give inspiration to another generations of musicians and singers to follow their dreams. Get On Up is a well made biographical drama film , that shows you a different perspective of this legendary artist. Since this is almost an 2 hours and 20 minutes long film, there are a few moments where some scenes get drawn out. For some reason we jump between the years quite often, when i would have wanted more details on certain musical years, while he was going less popular. Otherwise i can´t complain, if you love classic soul music, and a well made biogrophical film with great acting, this should be something in your taste. I would love to try and do the James Brown split right now, question is......will my nuts be ok ? I think its best to leave this idea, besides, i always sing Don Johnson hits in the shower anyway.

Rating: DDD

söndag 1 mars 2015

Welcome To New York

In August 2011, i experienced one of the greatest moments i have ever read in a newspaper. It was as it was meant to happen, just because i have such a great taste for news. French actor Gerard Depardieu needed to pee, but was told that he could not pee at that moment, he have to wait. So, Gerard tried to pee in a bottle, and then pee came on the floor also, infront of other passangers. So why do i love this story ? Because Gerard is a man who is known for both doing odd things, and saying odd things. Like when he told us that he used to be a gay prostitute, even a grave robber. Is there anything this guy have not been ? Well, probably not Liberace´s lover, but who knows, maybe he was also ? From the 80´s and the 90´s, Gerard gave us alot of different genre films, and he continued to work both in french motion pictures, as well as american films. All of them have not been very big successes, but he seems to keep his image stay alive, maybe because of all his shocking statements, especially that he drinks 14 wine bottles each day. Can you really do that ? I think he might be joking about this. Either way, Gerard is a french film icon, and he have given us some good performances over the years. One of the films i remember most, is Élisa, a french film, with a very powerful performance by Vanessa Paradis. This film is hard to find online, but i suggest if you do find the dvd for sale, buy it. When i heard the news that Gerard Depardieu was going to do a film, based on the french politician Dominique Strauss-Kahn, i became really curious. A politician who lived a very rough Life, abusing women sexually and having personal problems, seemed to be the perfect story to make a film based on his scandals. Considering that the film became controversial because of all nudity and sex scenes, it seemed to be a perfect combination to show the audience at the Cannes Film Festival. But did you know, that they decided not to show the film becaude of the sexual content ? With the director Abel Ferrara , who directed the 1992 classic Bad Lieutenant, and controversial actor Gerard Depardieu working together, is this a future classic, or is this not what i expected at all ?

Deveraux ( Gerard Depardieu ) is the president of a French financial institution. He lives a rough life, with prostitutes, alcohol and don´t care about his wife. The party continue when ever he have the chance to end up in a hotel room with fresh girls. But Everything is about to end, when Deveraux force a maid to give him oral sex. She escapes, and Deveraux is not worried about what happened. Suddenly the maid begin to speak, and is asked to point him out at the police station. She points him out, so Deveraux is arrested. Deveraux supportive wife Simone ( Jaqueline Bisset ) is tired of her cheating husband, and tells him exactly how she feels. Deveraux belive he will walk free, because he is a very powerful person, but is that enough to get away from this crime ?

I have not followed Gerard Deparideu´s movie releases, simply because i lost interest in him from his awful police film Diamant 13. Just thinking about it makes me feel ill. But a year after this awful release, he did surprise me with My Afternoons With Margueritte. A fun drama comedy, where he did fit his character. So when i read the press reviews of Welcome To New York, shocked the Cannes Film Festival, i just had to take a look at this film. Knowing that this film is based on the scandalous french politician Dominique Strauss-Kahn, i was curious to see how they captured this story, and if they managed to make it believable. I realise that all events may not have taken place, that some parts may only be fictional, but director Abel Ferrara manage to make it feel like you are told how it could have happened. And to make it look good is a very important detail, especially when a scandal like this have been reported all over the world. This may be one of the best performances that i have ever seen Gerard Depardieu, do in a motion picture. He is a swine, treating women like they are garbage, and lives only to please himself. When you see the scene where he is forcing a maid to give him a blow job, and you see her struggling to get away, you feel the anger inside of you. It looks so real, that Gerard really tried to make it look like he tries to rape her. This is one of the reasons why Welcome To New York is so effective. There is a lot of nudity, brutality in some scenes, but it is necessary to capture the feeling of the story. Unfortunately, since this film was not shown on cinemas all over the world, not many people have heard about this film. I watched it on dvd, when it was released here in Sweden. I suggest you rent it, and see a portrait of an awful man, who have no limits. We live in a world where money is more important than people, and that is the truth. Welcome To New York shows us one side of this world, where rich people think they can do whatever they want, because they are rich. My personal view of humans is, no matter if you are rich or poor, what matters is that you are a good person and help others in need. It does not matter if you are an lawyer or a garbage man, we are all humans, no one is more important. Welcome To New York is a very important film, because it shows how wrong the male image is sometimes of women. Gerard Depardieu should have won some awards for his performance, i think this might be one of his best films ever so far, and that is a good sign. Rent this one, the unrated version is out, so you should take the time to see it, just to get a glimpse of how bad this world can be.

Rating: DDD