The King’s Choice: best seen as a character study of people having to make unenviable choices and decisions
Erik Poppe, “Kongens Nei / The King’s Choice” (2016) As a straight history lesson or
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.
French and French-language Films | Northern European Films
The Passion of Joan of Arc: an experimental film let down by its narrow focus, story-line and characterisation
Carl Theodor Dreyer, “The Passion of Joan of Arc” (1928) In itself, this silent film
Middle Eastern Films | Northern European Films
9 Days – From My Window in Aleppo: an ordinary documentary short with little to say and leaving too many unanswered questions
Floor van der Meulen, Thomas Vroege, Issa Touma, “9 Days – From My Window in
Festen: a rich film skewering Danish society and social hypocrisy, and delivering redemption
Thomas Vinterberg, “Festen” (1998) “Festen” remains the best-known and most mainstream of the various films
Breaking the Waves: a study of religious hypocrisy and oppression, and its effects on a naive woman, with a hollow heart
Lars von Trier, “Breaking the Waves” (1996) For the most part this often nihilistic film
Sõda: political satire as animal fable takes on a dark tone
Riho Unt and Hardi Volmer, “Sõda” (1987) It has the look of a political satire
Kapsapea: an entertaining parody of action adventure / romance films
Riho Unt, “Kapsapea / A Cabbage” (1993) A stop-animation parody of action adventure films like
Northern European Films | Southeast Asian Films
The Look of Silence: a grim and monotonous film about a personal quest but no context to make sense of it
Joshua Oppenheimer, “The Look of Silence” (2014) A companion piece to Oppenheimer’s earlier documentary “The
The Virgin Spring: a profound and moving work on vengeance, justice and the remoteness of religion
Ingmar Bergman, “The Virgin Spring / Jungfrukällan” (1960) Perhaps not so celebrated as “The Seventh
Troll Hunter: comedy horror flick works in popular Norwegian stereotypes and fears of a police state
André Øvredal, “Troll Hunter / Trolljegeren” (2010) Inspired perhaps by the example of “The Blair