Tunnelen: an underdeveloped film of future dystopia as experienced by a generic family
André Øvredal, “Tunnelen” (2016) Even something as seemingly innocuous and commonplace as driving to the
Category: Northern European Films
Reviews of films from Finland, Greenland, Iceland and countries traditionally considered part of Scandinavia (Denmark Norway, Sweden). I’ve included Estonia and Latvia in this category as these countries have historic links to Sweden.
Australian and New Zealand Films | Northern European Films
The Swedish Model: a shallow and unedifying view of Sweden’s no-lockdown COVID-19 strategy
“The Swedish Model” (Foreign Correspondent, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 30 June 2020) In March 2020, when
The Last Knit: dealing with a personal inner hell of addiction and compulsion
Laura Neuvonen, “The Last Knit” (2005) Technically this digital animated short is well done but
Aniara: a disappointing critique of human society in a spaceship on a doomed voyage
Pella Kagerman, Hugo Lilja, “Aniara” (2018) An ambitious project to bring a poem by the
Northern European Films | Russian and Soviet Films
MH17 – Call for Justice: independent journalists’ investigation and findings create more questions than answers about the official investigation
Yana Yerlashova, “MH17 – Call for Justice” (Bonanza Media, July 2019) Five years after the
Indian Subcontinent Films | Northern European Films
Victim of the World Wildlife Fund: racial cleansing and genocide masquerading as nature conservation
Jos van Dongen, “Victim of the World Wildlife Fund” (Zembla, 2019) Now this is the
Northern European Films | South African Films
An Act of Defiance: a hard-hitting, confrontational film about personal courage and the fight for justice
Jean van de Welde, “An Act of Defiance” (2017) Quite a hard-hitting and confrontational film
North American Films | Northern European Films
The Wife: a solid film notable for its lead performances but little else
Bjorn Runge, “The Wife” (2017) As films go, “The Wife” is enjoyable mainly for Glenn
Rams: a minimal but insubstantial film on the fragility of family and community ties and traditions against the outside world
Grimur Hakonarson, “Rams / Hrutar” (2015 Forty years ago, a family rift led to two
Tom of Finland: a film of hope, sympathy for underdogs and inspiration to others suffering hardship and oppression
Dome Karukoski, “Tom of Finland” (2017) As a general introduction to the life of gay